The Promise: Part One
by MasterFirebender84
Summary: Rejoin Aang & friends for more exciting new adventures, beginning with a faceoff against the Fire Nation that threatens to throw the world into another war! Can the friendship of Aang & Zuko withstand this turmoil, or is all already lost?
1. Joining of Two Hearts

All righty then, time to delve into another story! But wait, what's this? *Gasp!* Could this be the new upcoming Avatar: The Last Airbender grapic novel "The Promise: Part One"? It is! :D So, in honor of the new graphic novel series that is soon to come out in 2012, I am writing a fanon (of sorts) for all the information that has been leaked out thus far in the form of revealed panels. This story is for those of you who haven't seen those leaked panels so that everyone on can know what's in store for all of us. :D Please enjoy and review! We're in for one wild ride! :)

NOTE: The following story does contain spoilers. View at your own discretion. Also, most of the following is canon from the grapihc novels. In the panels that they didn't show for each scene, I wrote in my best interpretation of what the characters could have said. For the most part, however, most of the following is canon. Also, this story will continuously updated as more panels are leaked out. Expect multiple updates on the same chapter.

****DISCLAIMER**:** I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender. The show and its characters belong to Mike and Bryan, the brillant geniuses behind one of the greatest cartoon shows in the history of cartoons. Their work is legendary, and I salute them for it. I also do not own "The Promise" story, which is written by Gene Yang, and is also the property of Mike and Bryan. I am simply help to spread the news of the upcoming story and do not take any responsibilty for the development of the story itself; I am only going off of what is known thus far.

**Joining of Two Hearts**

_Water. Earth. Fire. Air._

_Long ago, the Four Nations lived together in harmony._

_Then everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked._

_Only the Avatar, Master of all four elements, could stop them._

_But when the world needed him most, he vanished._

_A hundred years passed and my brother Sokka and I discovered the new Avatar, an Airbender named Aang._

_Although his Airbending skills were great, he had a lot to learn before he was ready to save anyone._

_But from the day I first met him, I believed that Aang would save the world._

_And you know what?_

_I was right._

_With the help of his friends, Aang defeated Fire Lord Ozai and ended the Hundred Year War._

_Zuko, Ozai's son and our ally, became the new Fire Lord._

_Together, with Earth King Kuei, Aang and Zuko promised to restore the Four Nations to harmony._

In the throne room of the Earth King, Aang, in his Master Airbender robes, pointed to a map on the wall next to the throne and said, "I never realized the Fire Nation had built so many colonies in the Earth Kingdom." What he was pointing to was a small red flame, one of dozens that dotted the western coast of the Earth Kingdom.

"Yes," affirmed Earth King Kuei as Aang turned to face him, his finger still on the map. "For the Earth People, they're a constant reminder of the War, like an old scar." Realizing who was in the room, Kuei timidly looked over at Zuko, who was in his full Fire Lord regalia. "Oh…I…I- Fire Lord Zuko," he nervously stammered, "I meant nothing personal!"

Zuko ignored the perceived offense and turned to the map, saying "No, Earth King Kuei, you're right. After all the pain my father has caused, it's my duty to bring healing to the world." His voice took on a firm edge as he said, "I'll remove these colonies; I'll do whatever it takes."

"But removing the colonies won't be easy," pointed out Aang as Momo jumped on top of Bosco and stole his hat, eliciting a moan of protest from the bear. Zuko and Kuei both turned to look at Aang as said, "A lot of people's lives are gonna be disrupted. We need someone to oversee everything, to make sure it all goes peacefully." He placed a hand on his chest and cheerfully added, "Someone like me!"

Zuko seemed generally surprised. "Really?" he asked with astonishment. "You'd _want_ to do that?" Bosco looked down at Momo, as if figuring out how to get his hat back.

Aang nodded and said, "Yeah, I'm the Avatar!" He smugly crossed his arms and added, "Making stuff go peacefully is my kind of thing!"

"Wonderful!" delightfully said Kuei as he happily clapped his hands and Toph, who was next to him, crossed her arms. "The Avatar's personal involvement will give the entire process an air of hope!"

Katara, who was standing next to Toph, motioned over towards the railing that her brother was leaning against and helpfully said, "Sokka and I can help!" Bosco swiped his hat off of Momo's tiny head and placed the garment back on his massive head, giving a brief grunt of triumph. Momo cackled and chattered at the reverse-theft, but made no move to steal back the hat.

"Aw, I was gonna visit Kyoshi Island," complained Sokka, grumpily pushing himself off the railing and walking over towards his sister.

"It'll be a movement!" proudly said Kuei, his eyes shining with glee. "A movement towards harmony! We'll call it…we'll call it…" The Earth King struggled with his thoughts, trying to decide what to call this movement that would change the world for the better.

Sokka, in one of his many sporadic bouts of genius, leaped up and valiantly shouted, "The Harmony Restoration Movement!"

"Yes!" declared Kuei as he pounded a fist into his open palm. "The Harmony Restoration Movement! I like it!"

Toph looked over at Sokka and asked, "What's with you and your goofy names for everything?"

"It's a gift," replied Sokka with a devious grin.

_Earth King Kuei planned a celebration where he would announce the Harmony Restoration Movement. Before the festivities began, we decided to visit _The Jasmine Dragon_, a tea shop owned by Zuko's Uncle Iroh._

A glorious sun was setting on the magnificent and legendary city of Ba Sing Se, casting a radiant and all-enveloping light on the massive walled city. High in the Upper Ring of the city lay a renowned tea shop called _The Jasmine Dragon_, owned by none other than Iroh of the Fire Nation, the almost-mythical Dragon of the West.

Outside of the tea shop stood a couple, enveloped in their warm embrace of both arms and lips, bathed in the golden light of a bright future. The boy, who was young in his years yet mature in his mind, was bald with a blue arrow on his head, which trailed down into smaller arrows on his arms and legs. He was dressed in the robes of a Master Airbender, an outfit of brilliant orange with a wooden medallion of Airbending hanging from his neck.

The girl, who was dressed in a green kimono, had skin that was as soft as dark copper, a pink lily settled in the bun of her dark brown hair, which flowed down her back. She wore two hair loopies, a signature look of her frozen home in the South Pole.

Aang and Katara were locked in their embrace, pouring all of their mutual love and adoration through their lips and into the other's soul. Even though Aang was slightly shorter than Katara, she didn't mind slightly pulling him up so that their lips met in a heart-warming kiss. Their arms were firm in their actions, bringing the two of them closer together than ever before.

Aang reveled in the moment, thinking that this was perhaps the most _perfect_ moment of his life. All the past few months of his doubt and worry about his future with Katara melted away as soon as her lips met his, and his heart was soaring higher than any wind could ever fly.

Katara reveled in the moment as well, letting herself do most of the work for Aang; this was all for him, after all. Gone was her confusion and uncertainty, replaced by the resolute love that she now felt for Aang. Her best friend had now become her lover, the boy she would share every moment with for as long as they were together.

_There, Aang and I…we figured out what we meant to each other._

It was all so perfect, almost nothing could ruin the moment…

_Almost_ nothing.

_Or we were about to, anyway, before my stupid brother interrupted._

"Hey guys- AH!" said a voice from behind them. Aang and Katara quickly unlocked from each other's lips and looked back to see Sokka gawking at them, cringing as if what he was seeing was slightly revulsive. Aang and Katara dropped their arms, ending their embrace as they stood apart from each other, cheeks burning bright red with embarrassment. Hastily recovering from his shock, Sokka asked, "What in the world are you guys _doing _out here?"

"Nothing!" clumsily and quickly replied Aang, his cheeks still burning from his blush as he waved his arms above his head in a 'nothing-to-see' motion. "We're not doing anything out here!" He hadn't counted on Sokka stumbling upon them during their 'moment', and he wasn't sure how the Water Tribe warrior would react to this revelation.

Katara, on the other hand, seemed flustered and annoyed at the interruption. She pointed an accusing finger at Sokka as she irritably asked, "Haven't you ever heard of _knocking_, Sokka?"

"First of all," clarified Sokka with a raised finger, "you're supposed to knock before you go _inside_, not before you go _outside_!" Gesturing to Katara with his raised hand, he added, "And second, as my sister, you really shouldn't be kissing anyone in front of me! It's your sisterly duty to avoid giving me the oogies!" He stuck his tongue out a little out of the side of his mouth in disgust at the mention of 'oogies', as if it were a contagious disease that he would catch whenever his sister kissed anyone in front of him.

"_Oogies?_" screeched Katara, still pointing a rigid finger at Sokka's chest. "Argh! You are _so _immature sometimes! What about you and Suki?"

"I'm the older sibling, so it doesn't matter who I kiss Suki in front of," casually stated Sokka in a matter-of-fact tone, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Katara's face scrunched with frustration, and she got in Sokka's face, jabbing her finger into his chest as she shouted, "Oh, so it's alright for you to suck off Suki's lips in public, but _I_ can't do that?"

"Of course not!" retorted Sokka, staring down at his sister. "Didn't you hear what I said? As the younger sibling, it's your duty to _not_ do what I do!"

"That doesn't even make sense!" shouted Katara, jabbing her finger once more into Sokka's chest to prove her point.

"It does to me!"

"Argh! You always have to ruin _everything_, Sokka!"

"Oh, I ruin everything, do I?"

"Yeah, you do! You always have to butt into my personal business!"

"But that's my _job_!"

"That's why you're so infuriating!"

"I was just coming out here to tell you guys something when you decided to give me the oogies!"

"Stop saying that!"

"It's true!"

As Katara and Sokka argued back and forth, poor Aang stood off to the side as he watched the scene unfold. He meekly sighed, feeling very small as he watched the siblings continued to have their little 'discussion'. He knew he had to stop the situation from escalating any further, so he decided to do the right thing and intervene. "Uh, Sokka?" he hesitantly asked with a slightly raised hand, as if he were a school boy who was waiting for his turn to be called upon. "Sokka!" he called out, hoping he wasn't being too intrusive.

"Time out," relented Sokka as he closed his eyes and held up a hand to Katara's face, leaving him to glower into his palm while she dropped her finger from his chest. Opening his eyes as he looked at the younger boy, he said, "Yeah, Aang?"

Aang dryly gulped, begging the Spirits to make this encounter go in his favor. "You're not upset about me kissing Katara?"

"Why would I be upset?" asked Sokka as he dropped his hand from Katara's face.

Aang blinked his confusion. "Um…maybe because she's your sister and you feel really protective of her?"

Sokka chuckled. "The only thing I'm upset about is that you two gave me the oogies." Katara growled her frustration as she stamped her foot, snorting a heavy blast of annoyance from her nostrils. Ignoring his sister, Sokka said, "Believe me, Aang, I'm _far_ from upset with you."

Aang's morale dropped, as did his shoulders, thinking that Sokka was furious with him. " Oh…you are?"

"Of course I am," earnestly replied Sokka. A merry smile burst to life on his face as he cheerfully said, "I'm estatic!"

Now both Aang _and_ Katara blinked their confusion in unison. "…You are?" uncertainly asked Katara after a few moments of silence.

Sokka shook his head as he smirked. "Do I have to spell it out for you?"

"Please," sarcastically drawled Katara as she rolled her eyes, "enlighten us, O Wise Brother of Mine."

His ego stroked, Sokka's smug smile appeared, his eyes filled with a satisfied light. Turning back to Aang, he said, "Look buddy, I know that you and Katara have been best friends pretty much since the first day you guys met." He shrugged as he added, "I figured it was only a matter of time before you started developing feelings for her."

"You knew about my feelings for Katara?" asked Aang with a dubiously raised eyebrow.

"Oh puh-_lease_!" said Sokka with a 'come-off-it' wave of his hand. "You couldn't have made it any more obvious than if you painted Appa bright yellow and pink!"

"Why didn't you say anything?" asked Katara, her earlier frustration and annoyance gone.

Looking back at Katara, Sokka said, "I had decided at the time to let you two figure it out on from your own." He mischievously smirked as he added, "Judging by what I just saw, it seems that I was right to do so."

"And you're okay with me being with Aang?" slowly asked Katara, staring at her brother as if he wasn't who he actually was, as if he were a strange replacement for the annoyance that was her brother.

"Have I said anything to make you think otherwise?" asked Sokka.

After a few thoughtful moments, Katara said, "No."

"Then it's official," cheerily said Sokka with a clap of his hands. In a dramatic flair, he theatrically said, "I, Sokka, Meat-Loving Comedian and Sarcastic Swordsman of Team Avatar, give my blessing to my sister to date Aang!" With a playful wink to his sister, he added, "As long as they don't give me too many oogies."

Deciding to ignore his last statement, Katara sincerely smiled and said, "That's really sweet of you to give your blessing to us, Sokka."

"Yeah," piped in Aang with a bright smile. "That was really awesome of you to do."

"Well, that's just me for ya," nonchalantly said Sokka with a casual shrug of his shoulders. Proudly smiling at Aang, he added, "Besides, there's no one else I would trust to be with my sister. I've seen you grow up a lot during our journey, Aang, and I know you'd do anything to protect Katara. So, with that being said, you're the only guy I'd ever approve of her dating." The new couple gratefully smiled at Sokka, touched that he really did trust Aang that much.

Now that the moment had passed, Aang asked, "What'd you come out here to tell us?"

"Oh! Right!" realized Sokka with a raised finger. "We're about to head out."

Aang's eyebrow perplexedly raised. "But the Earth King's celebration doesn't start for a couple more hours!"

"I know," replied Sokka as he walked past Appa, who had been watching them the whole time. "We wanted to take Appa out for a ride first!" Appa perked up as Sokka mentioned his name, uttering a surprised grunt. As Sokka reached the steps, he called out over his shoulder, "Now no more oogies in front of me, you two!"

Katara merely groaned as Sokka disappeared inside the tea shop, no doubt telling the others of her new relationship with Aang. She had a feeling that both Sokka and Toph would tease them to no end about the matter, so she decided to brace herself for those future happenings.

Aang looked back at Katara and let out a sigh of relief. "I can't believe he took it as well as he did."

"Me too," agreed Katara, walking over towards Aang and taking hold of his hand. She smiled at him as he smiled back at her, their eyes shining bright with life and youth. "Aang, I want to apologize to you."

"For what?"

A look of guilt plastered itself onto her beautiful face. "I'm sorry that I didn't figure out my feelings for you sooner. I didn't mean to hurt you with my rejection back at Ember Island. I was just so afraid of losing you. My heart would've shattered if something awful had happened to you during the Comet..."

Tenderly cupping his hand on her cheek, Aang smiled as he warmly said, "Don't worry about it, Katara. There's nothing to be sorry about. Besides…" He trailed off as he kissed her nose, making her smile all the more. "Now you're not confused anymore, and I'm glad you feel the same way about me as I do about you."

"Trust me, Aang," chuckled Katara as she lovingly squeezed his hand, "I'm glad too." She put her free hand on top of his hand, the one that was cupping her cheek, and interlaced her fingers with his. They both affectionately smiled at the contact between them, and soon they pulled each other into another kiss. However, this one was slightly shorter than the previous one, but the amount of love that passed between them remained the same. Soon they broke off their amorous contact, staring deeply into each other's eyes even as one would stare into the wondrous night sky.

"You have no idea how happy you've made me today, Katara," said Aang as he dropped his hand from her face, still holding both of her hands in his. "For the longest time, I've wanted to tell you how much I love you, how much I want to be with you every day of your life."

"Oh, Aang…" sweetly cooed Katara as she smiled and blushed. "You really are an amazing young man, and I've seen you grow up so much over our journey. Like I told you at the Invasion, you're no longer the little boy I found in the iceberg; you've become the Avatar you were destined to be, and I couldn't be more proud of you. You've always been there for me, and I promise to always be there for you for however long we're together like this." Throwing in a wistful wink, she added, "Which I hope lasts a long, _long_ time." Aang couldn't help but smile at her words, feeling like all of his wildest dreams were coming true before his eyes.

The two of them pulled into another embrace, resting their heads on their partner's shoulder as they hugged one another. From the doorway watched Sokka, Suki, Toph, Zuko, and Iroh. Mai and Momo were still inside, choosing to not take part in watching the new couple in their first few precious moments.

"Aww," quietly said Suki, warmly smiling at the sight before her. "They look so cute together!"

"Took 'em long enough," chuckled Toph, leaning against the entrance frame of the tea shop as she smiled upon the scene that she felt through the stone.

"Ah, young love," contentedly sighed Iroh, a merry smile spreading across his lips. "There is truly nothing like it in this world of ours. I'm truly happy that those two found happiness and love with each other, and I hope that their love lasts for many long years to come."

"I'm sure it will, Uncle," assured Zuko with a small smile, eliciting a slight nod of affirmation from Iroh.

Sokka smiled at the heart-warming scene, glad to see that his best friend and his sister were happy to be together in this new-found love of theirs. "If only you could see Katara now, Mom…" he quietly whispered to himself, thinking of how his deceased mother would have cried out with joy at the sight of her baby girl finding love. Sokka's smile grew, for he knew that he had fulfilled his ultimate duty as a brother: ensuring the happiness of his younger sister.

* * *

><p>AUTHOR'S NOTE:<p>

Remember my advice, my loyal readers:

_**BUY THE BOOK, AND SUPPORT THE WORK OF THE PEOPLE WHO STRIVE SO HARD TO BRING THIS INCREDIBLE STORY TO US.**_


	2. The Ultimate Promise

I'm back again, bringing you more of "The Promise: Part One"! :D For those of my readers that don't think this is actual graphic novel, it is 100% legitimate. There are leaked panels off of which I'm writing this story. For the panels I _don't_ have, I fill in my own interpretation of the scene, and I add my own fanonical scenes to the story as well. I know this chapter is a little on the short side, but when I read the panels for it I knew that there was still a bunch missing. That being said, this chapter _will_ be updated as new panels are leaked out. Enough of me for now, on with the story! Please read and review! :D

Answers to reviewers:

**AvatarIsMyLife: - **I've pre-ordered the book as well, and I'll put it into fan fiction writing once I get it. :) And you're welcome for the little preview, so I have a gift for you...another preview. XD Yeah, this whole fanon is a preview for the new book. :P

**DISCLAIMER:** I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender. The show and its characters belong to Mike and Bryan, the brillant geniuses behind one of the greatest cartoon shows in the history of cartoons. Their work is legendary, and I salute them for it. I also do not own "The Promise" story, which is written by Gene Yang, and is also the property of Mike and Bryan. I am simply help to spread the news of the upcoming story and do not take any responsibilty for the development of the story itself; I am only going off of what is known thus far.

**The Ultimate Promise**

Team Avatar soon departed on Appa, after many heart-felt congratulations to both Aang and Katara on their new relationship, leaving Iroh and Mai behind at _The Jasmine Dragon_. They had all invited the knife thrower and Dragon of the West to come along, but both politely declined.

Iroh had said, "I would love nothing more than to celebrate this momentous evening with all of you, but I have a feeling that there will be many people just itching for a nicely brewed cup of tea tonight, and I'll be the one to serve them."

Mai had said, "No offense, kid, but your Bison smells and I don't want to get fur on my outfit. So, I'll pass." It had taken Katara a few minutes to reassure a sullen Aang that Appa didn't smell and that he wasn't shedding anymore. Soon the Avatar was back to his bubbly old self, happy as could be now that he was flying around on his Spirit Guide animal with all of his friends.

Team Avatar flew around for a couple of hours, watching as all the festivities took place below for the celebration Earth King Kuei had prepared. It seemed as if the whole city was celebrating, for all the streets were jam-packed with people from every part of the city. Soon night had fallen, and Aang was taking Appa down real low over the streets for people to look up at in amazement. The massive Bison gently glided over the tops of buildings, the sounds of astonished gasps nothing but whispery voices in a blowing wind as they flew overhead.

Pulling up from the street, Appa ascended high into the sky over the Royal Palace. As they passed over the roof of the Palace, Aang joyfully cried out, "Ha ha! Let's go again!" Momo clung to his bald head for dear life, chattering incessantly as they soared higher and higher into the sky.

"Wait, guys!" suddenly said Suki from the saddle, leaning over the left side and pointing to the sky as she said, "The fireworks are starting!" Team Avatar looked over the left side of the saddle to see that, sure enough, hundreds of brilliant multicolored explosions filled the night sky, painting vivid and breathtaking colors of every shade and variety on the black canvas. Some explosions were so large that the shockwaves briefly buffeted Appa, jarring them all with a slight vibration as the wave passed over them.

"Wow!" said Katara in amazement from her place on the right side of the saddle. "The view is amazing!"

"It is!" whole-heartedly agreed Aang, smiling at the colorful palette that filled his vision to the brim. "Thanks, buddy!" he cheerfully said to Appa, who roared his happy reply.

Down below, a massive crowd suddenly burst out cheering, exuberant and joyful fists being thrust into the air as a symbol of celebration. "Sounds like the Earth King just announced the Harmony Restoration Movement!" said Katara, smiling down at the scene below.

Toph seemed to be the only one out of the group who _wasn't_ happy at the moment. Her face was scrunched with frustration and annoyance, as if someone had dropped a pesky Meadow Vole down the back of her dress. "Hey," she said to Sokka, who looked over at her, "wanna hear what fireworks sound like to me?" Sokka nodded, and Toph said, "Close your eyes." Sokka looked forward as he closed his eyes.

Immediately, Sokka felt a difference: the explosions were much louder, and through each sudden eruption he could feel his entire body shake. It was so different, so unknown, so-

"BOOOOOM!" screamed Toph into Sokka's ear, making his eyes snap wide open as he felt his ear drums temporarily give out.

"Aaah!" cried out Sokka, clutching his ears as he writhed in pain on the saddle. Suki smiled as she covered her mouth with a hand, trying hard not to laugh as she watched Sokka. As he kept rolling over in pain, he kept saying the word "Ouch!" as he clutched his reverberating ears.

"Oh Toph!" laughed Katara, crawling over towards the blind Earthbender and pulling her into a hug. "Don't be such a grump!" she playfully chided. "You're out with friends on a beautiful night, celebrating the fact that we saved the world!"

"True," decided Toph as Katara let go of her, unable to see the smile that the Waterbender bore on her face. Sokka finally came out of his bout of pain, cleaning out his ringing ears as he sat up.

"You too, Your New Majesty Fire Lord Zuko sir!" he cheerfully said to the scarred teen, who wasn't looking at Aang. "Turn that frown upside down! It's Happy Time!" He pulled up the corners of his mouth with his fingers, flashing a very toothy smile as Momo imitated his motion with a slight purr. The Fire Lord remained silent, and Aang's smile dropped along with his hands. "Zuko…?" he slowly and hesitantly asked, causing Katara to look over to see what the matter was.

Zuko looked over at Aang as Katara crawled towards them and said, "I visited my father in prison the other day…I've been meaning to ask you for a favor, Aang."

A surprised look came over Aang's face, not really sure what Zuko had in mind. "Sure, anything," he assuredly said, looking at Zuko with great concern.

Zuko sat up straighter in his sitting position, as if he had a great weight on his shoulders that he was trying to shift around. "If you ever see me turning into my father, I want you to…" He faltered for a brief instant, but went on and firmly said, "I want you to end me."

Aang's eyes went wide with shock, as did Katara's and everyone else's. "_What?_"

With amber eyes as fierce as an inferno and multicolored lights illuminating his face, Zuko said, "Even now, after everything that's happened, my family's legacy is still a part of me. That's why it's my duty to heal the scars that the Fire Nation has left on the world. But the Fire Lord's throne comes with a lot of pressures, and if I'm honest with myself…I need a safety net. The _world_ needs a safety net. That's what I need you to be, Aang: the safety net."

Aang was appalled with what Zuko was suggesting. "Zuko, you're _not_ your Dad!" he obstinately protested. Gesturing to him, he added, "And you're my friend! How can you expect me-"

"As your friend, Aang," austerely interjected Zuko, "I'm asking you- if you ever see me go bad, end me. _Promise _me, Aang." His last statement was said with such firmness and seriousness that it took Aang several long seconds to realize that Zuko was dead certain about his statement. Suddenly feeling very helpless, he looked over at Katara for support. Unfortunately for him, her eyes were just as hard as Zuko's, and she strongly nodded her head as if to say 'you have to promise him'.

Aang couldn't believe it; she was taking _Zuko's_ side of the argument. Why would she go against Aang on a matter like this? She knew that Aang was nonviolent; he had made that clear enough when he refused to kill Ozai. Finally, he figured that Katara probably saw something in Zuko's reasoning that made sense to her. Aang thought it had to do with Zuko being concerned about the safety of the world, but the shock of what the conditions of the promise entailed had left him unable to see that. With the majority against him, Aang gave in, closing his eyes and hanging his head down in self-shame. "…Fine," he relented with great reluctance. "I promise."

All was quiet for several moments as they flew on in reluctant silence, the exploding fireworks sounding like thunder in their hearts.

Zuko visibly relaxed, the weight lifted off of his broad shoulders and into the blackness of the night. "Thank you, Aang," he sincerely said as Aang turned back to face the open sky. "You have no idea how much your promise means to me." Aang said nothing as he took up Appa's reins, feeling his throat constrict with a sense of betrayal.

_Who am I?_ Aang thought to himself, millions of endless thoughts racing through his head.

_What have I become?_

* * *

><p>AUTHOR'S NOTE: All right, guys, I've been doing some reading on the Web; apparently fans are torn between either reading the leaked panels or just not reading any spoilers. Many have made the arugement to get rid of leaks so that the franchise can survive, while others say that reading the leaks isn't illegal. Of course, it's a matter of preference for people, but for me I'd like to know just what happens in this story; thus, I read the leaks. For those of you who support this story and are OK with reading spoilers, I have one bit of advice for you:<p>

_**BUY THE**** BOOK.**_

I don't care who you are, we as Avatar fans must support the hard work that Gene Yang (the author of "The Promise Trilogy") and Mike and Bryan are putting into this graphic novel. I as a fan fiction author am merely providing a way to get people interested in the upcoming book series and am not seeking in any way to doom the franchise with my telling of the leaks that have been put out there already.

Anyone who's read my stories knows I'm a _huge_ fan of this show, so when I heard that the leaks had already came out, I raced out onto the Web to find them. Now having found them, my interest in the story has only magnified in strength with each new panel that's uploaded. Like I said, the spoilers didn't quench my thirst for "The Promise"; it left me wanting even more, so that's why I pre-ordered the book, even though I know most of the first book already.

So for those of you who hate me for putting up these spoilers, I am not trying to doom the franchise that we all know and love. As an Avatar fan myself, I wanted to spread the word of what was to come to create even more interest in the story. If people are interested in the story, they will buy the book regardless of whether or not they've read the leaks.

Remember my advice, my loyal readers:

_**BUY THE BOOK, AND SUPPORT THE WORK OF THE PEOPLE WHO STRIVE SO HARD TO BRING THIS INCREDIBLE STORY TO US.**_

This has been a Public Service Announcement by MasterFirebender84. Thank you, and have a plesant day.


	3. Comfort in the Dark

All right, to make up for the shortness of the last chapter, I've written up a longer one for ya'll. ;) The following is entirely fanonical, meaning that it doesn't actually appear in the panels but that I feel _could_ happen in between the stuff that we do see. Anyways, I'll shut up now so you can read. OH! And I do have the next chapter already written up, but I won't post it until a few days after this one. For now, enjoy and review this one! :D

**DISCLAIMER:** I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender. The show and its characters belong to Mike and Bryan, the brillant geniuses behind one of the greatest cartoon shows in the history of cartoons. Their work is legendary, and I salute them for it. I also do not own "The Promise" story, which is written by Gene Yang, and is also the property of Mike and Bryan. I am simply help to spread the news of the upcoming story and do not take any responsibilty for the development of the story itself; I am only going off of what is known thus far.

**Comfort in the Dark**

Katara slowly opened her eyes, finding herself in the darkness of the guest room of Iroh's tea shop. She sat up in her single bed, her sheets slightly ruffling as she moved about. Rubbing her tired eyes, she let out a long yawn. Smacking her lips a couple of times, she looked around the guest room, seeing all of her other friends fast asleep in their own beds.

She blinked as she glanced around the room from left to right: Iroh was boisterously snoring in his bed, Mai was as still as a corpse in her sleep, Zuko seemed to be twitching slightly as he slept, Toph was completely sprawled out like a Canyon Crawler on her bed, Suki was tucked in tight under her sheets, and Sokka was snoring just as obnoxiously as Iroh.

Katara grimaced at the sound of the snoring, thinking how it sounded like someone was dragging a hundred boulders down the world's tallest mountain in the middle of an earthquake; all in all, a very unpleasant and grating sound that made her wonder how she had ever slept with all that racket. She clearly remembered her and the others making their way back to the tea shop about an hour after the fireworks were over. They had all gone to bed shortly after they got back, since the tea shop had closed shortly after the fireworks had concluded, but she had no idea what time of night (or even day) it was.

She looked over to her left with half-open eyes, which widened to their normal size when she saw that the bed next to hers was empty, the sheets thrown back as if by one was utterly restless. She remembered that Aang had been in the bed next to hers, much to the frantic insistence of Sokka that nothing 'frisky' would take place between her and Aang during the night. She had told Sokka that he was being ridiculous, that she and Aang were way too young to be even considering…_that_ sort of activity, but Sokka had been adamant about his decision: she and Aang were to sleep in separate beds, no matter what.

"Where are you, Aang?" Katara whispered to herself, as if her heart held the answer as to why her new boyfriend was missing. She looked over towards Sokka, cringing slightly at the fat globule of drool that leaked out of his open mouth, and quietly said, "Sokka."

Sokka ungracefully snorted in his sleep, his mouth closing slightly and slurping up the drool with it. Katara's disgust came to the surface, and she stuck out her tongue and shook her head as she tried to get rid of the icky feelings she had just gotten from watching Sokka suck up his own drool like that. "Not now, Suki baby…" muttered Sokka, gently batting away the air where his girlfriend would have been with a lethargic hand. Pulling up the covers over his head, he tiredly murmured, "Just five more minutes…"

Katara growled her annoyance, and she threw away her covers as she shot out of her bed, quickly making her way over to Sokka's bedside. She firmly, but gently, grabbed Sokka's shoulder and shook him, quietly shouting, "Sokka, wake up now!"

"Snckhuh?" mumbled Sokka as he snorted himself awake, lazily sitting up in his bed as his covers fell away. He had dark bags underneath his eyes, and his eyelids were drooped down so heavily you could have mistaken him for a sleeping Panda-Koala. Narrowing his already scrunched eyes at Katara, he wetly smacked his lips and muttered, "Oh…it's just you, Katara."

"Yeah, just me," sarcastically said Katara as she propped herself on the bed next to her brother. Giving him a scrupulous look, she added, "Who were you expecting? Suki?"

Sokka made a sort of 'I don't know' noise in the back of his throat as he shrugged, loudly yawning as he stretched his arms so wide that Katara had to duck in order to avoid being hit by his weary fist. "What do you want?" he grumbled, scratching the back of his neck to relieve himself of the annoying sensation that had arisen shortly after he woke up.

"Aang's not in his bed," explained Katara, concern heavy in her voice. "I need to know where he is, Sokka; do you have _any_ idea of where he went?"

"How should I now?" mumbled Sokka, rubbing his eyes as he yawned once more, clearly more interested in sleeping than helping Katara find Aang.

"Sokka, you know how I feel about him," softly said Katara, her voice tinged an edge of pain as her every thought was consumed as to where Aang could be.

"What does that have to do with me knowing where he is?" asked Sokka, looking over at Katara with drowsiness.

Katara carefully scrutinized her brother's expression, searching for any clue as to indicate whether he was telling the truth or not. "Somehow I get the feeling you know where he is," she suspiciously said, raising an eyebrow at the thought.

"So what if I do?" Pointing a finger at her, he added, "What are _you_ going to do to me if you think I'm lying?"

"Gee, let me think," sarcastically said Katara as she placed a finger on her chin in feigned thoughtfulness, innocently looking up at the ceiling. "Oh, I know!" she quietly declared as she dropped her finger and looked back at Sokka with a devilish smile. "I could take away your meat privileges for the next six months."

Sokka gasped as his eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets, his jaw slack with severe shock. "You wouldn't dare-"

"Tell me where Aang is, or say bye-bye to your precious Seal Jerky till spring," dangerously said Katara, knowing that she had Sokka cornered, and the nervous sweat that sprouted on his brow showed for it.

"All right, all right!" he hastily relented, holding up his hands in surrender. "I'll tell you where he is!" Seeing Katara's satisfied smirk, he dropped his arms and shook his head, saying, "Geez, threatening me with the withholding of my precious meat snacks; you really are crazy about that kid, aren't you?"

"More than you'll ever know, Sokka," truthfully replied Katara. "Now will you _please_ tell me where he is? I'm really worried about him."

Sokka studied his sister's face, seeing that her concern for Aang was indeed legitimate. Making the smart decision to not torture her any longer, Sokka sighed and said, "Aang woke up about an hour ago. At least I think it was an hour ago…I'm not sure."

"How do you know he woke up?" asked Katara, bringing her legs up onto the bed and tucking them underneath her body.

"Because he's the one who woke me up!" softly exclaimed Sokka, taking care not to disturb the others.

"Well, what did he say?" she impatiently asked, fidgeting slightly as her worry for Aang grew with each passing moment.

"Relax, I'm getting there," he assured her with raised hands. Dropping his hands, he said, "Aang told me that he was going outside, that he had to do some heavy thinking or something along those lines."

Katara's eyes widened as she realized what Aang had gone outside to do. "He's thinking about the promise he made to Zuko," she quietly breathed, knowing how troubled Aang had been after he had made his promise. Aang had…changed since then, not really finding the heart to dance with her once they got back to the tea shop, choosing instead to go to bed straight away. His quietness had unsettled her, but she had thought it was only a temporary thing; instead, it was worse than she had initially thought.

"Probably," surmised Sokka with a shrug of his shoulders. "I'd be pretty shaken up too if I was Aang. I mean, think about it: Zuko made Aang promise something so serious that he's still taking time to adjust to it."

"I don't know, Sokka…" softly said Katara, letting her gaze drift to the corners of her eyes and down to the floor. "I went along with Zuko's idea of the promise because it seemed reasonable; if he ever turned out to be like his father, it would be Aang's job to end him. If Zuko had made _me _promise to end him if he turned out like his father, I would have given him my word right away. It's what would have to be done."

"You gotta give Zuko credit for having the guts to ask Aang that," admirably said Sokka, scooting a little closer to Katara and letting his shoulder touch hers, letting her know that he was there for her.

"It was pretty brave of him to do, but…" She trailed off, a sense of guilt gripping her heart with sharp claws.

"But what?" asked Sokka, genuine concern coating his voice.

Katara glanced up at Sokka with helpless eyes filled with so much uncertainty that they almost seemed to be wavering. "I think that maybe I hurt Aang when I went along with Zuko's idea."

Sokka actually seemed surprised as he asked, "Why would you say that?"

Katara gripped the sides of her head as she said, "It's hard to explain, Sokka. I just know I did…" She hit herself on the forehead as she said, "Argh! I'm so stupid!"

Sokka gently took hold of both of her hands, bringing them to rest on her lap. Katara whipped her head up towards her brother, seeing softness and caring in his sharp warrior eyes. Gazing into his icy blue eyes seemed to bring a sense of calm to her, and soon her anxiety began to mellow out. "You're not stupid, Katara. You knew that what Zuko made Aang promise was something to ensure the security of the world. One crazy Fire Lord was bad enough for our lifetimes, but _two_ crazy Fire Lords? That's just a messed up situation in itself, considering that Zuko could be that second crazy Fire Lord."

"But what can I do to help Aang, Sokka?" she feebly asked, feeling utterly useless at the moment.

Sokka smirked as he said, "I think you already know what the answer to that is." Katara looked down at her hands, which were still being held by Sokka's. Thousands of thoughts raced through her mind, but she always came to one conclusion: she had to help Aang.

Katara let go of Sokka's hands, plopping her bare feet on the floor as she stood up straight. Looking back at Sokka, she said, "I'm going to go talk to Aang."

"And I'm going back to sleep," unanimously decided Sokka as he softly threw himself back on top of his pillows, pulling his covers up over his chest with a content sigh. Katara merely rolled her eyes and strolled over to the door, sliding it open and allowing moonlight to pour in from the tea shop. "Hey," softly called Sokka from his bed, causing Katara to look back at him. He smiled as he said, "I wasn't kidding earlier when I said that Aang was the only one I'd trust to be with you. You two have always been good to each other, and I really am glad that you two ended up together."

Katara pleasantly smiled at Sokka and cutely said, "Aww, how sweet of you, big brother."

"The only downside to you two being together is that you're going to be giving me the oogies from now on," snickered Sokka, pretty much ruining the tender brother-sister moment with his stupid teasing.

Katara annoyedly growled as she resisted the urge to impatiently stamp her foot, though her exasperation only served to make Sokka chuckle. "You're impossible," she muttered, pouting her lips in a huffy fashion.

"Love you too, sis," cheerily said Sokka as he rolled over on his bed, turning his back on her and leaving her to glower into the back of his head. Katara slipped out the door, quietly sliding it closed behind her.

As she walked off towards the entrance of the tea shop, she angrily muttered to herself, "Stupid brother with his stupid oogies. What are oogies, anyway? Stupid Sokka with his stupid teasing…" She faltered as she rounded a corner, finding herself in the main room of _The Jasmine Dragon_.

There, on the railing outside the tea shop where she had been standing just hours before, sat Aang, who was staring off at the full moon in the distance. The lunar lights illuminated his form, stretching his shadow far into the vacant tea shop. Katara gathered herself up, gliding over the floor of the tea shop with light footsteps. Aang made no move to look at her, for he had no idea that she was even there. As she quietly stepped down the steps of the tea shop, she delicately called out, "Aang?"

The Avatar whirled his head around to look at her, his eyes wide with surprise. His young face was laden with an untold burden, a responsibility thrust upon him by the conspiring forces of history. "Oh…hi Katara," he quietly responded, frowning at the unbearable pain in his heart.

Katara took her place next to him, frowning just as sullenly as him. "Sokka told me that you were out here doing some thinking."

Aang fully sat himself on the railing, letting his feet dangle as he stared down at the ground. He rested his arms on his legs, his back hunched over with stress. "I'm sure you've already figured out why I'm out here thinking…"

"I do," said Katara as she nodded. Placing a comforting hand on his shoulder, she added, "You're thinking about the promise you made to Zuko." Aang's only response was a nod, his eyes filled with such desolate sadness and uncertainty that it seemed he would break at any moment. Deciding to take a chance, she hesitantly asked, "You're…you're not mad at me, are you?"

Aang whipped his head towards her so fast that she slightly jumped out of surprise, and she could see the astonishment on his face. "What? Why would I be mad at you?"

Katara's guilt returned to her, remembering the pained and helpless look Aang had when he had looked to her for support. "I know that you wanted my help in going against Zuko's promise, but I thought that he was being reasonable." Dropping her voice to a timid murmur, she added, "I didn't want to make it seem like I was going against you, but Zuko was right; he needs to be taken down if he becomes like his father. I...I was just afraid that you hated me for going against your traditions of nonviolence by doing so."

Reaching up to his shoulder with his right hand, he tenderly grasped her hand in his. "Katara, there's no way I could _ever_ hate you for anything. I know you had good intentions for choosing Zuko's side over mine, and that's why I trusted you to make that decision for me."

Katara was taken aback this time, her face flushing with a surprised shade of red. "_I_ made _you_ take that promise?"

"Sometimes even the hero needs someone to guide him," said Aang in a mild, sage-like manner, a tone that made him sound more mature than his young years would make it seem. "I've always trusted your judgment, Katara, and that's why you gave me the courage to take that promise."

Katara's astonishment grew along with the ferocity of her blush, her heart fluttering with a million wing beats. "Aang…" she quietly whispered, truly too stunned for any other words at the moment. "I-I don't know what to say…" Deciding to focus on why she was there, she shook her head and asked, "But I thought you were against taking that promise?"

Aang nodded as he said, "I still am. I knew that Zuko wouldn't be at peace with himself until he knew that he had his safety net, not to mention your indirect influence on me, but that doesn't mean I like the conditions of Zuko's promise."

Katara squeezed his hand as she said, "Aang, you know that Zuko was right to have made you take that promise. He knows what being the Fire Lord entails, all the stresses and pressures that come with the throne."

"But that doesn't mean he can force me to abandon my nonviolent ways," firmly protested Aang. "Don't you remember how hard of a time I had convincing myself that I had to kill Ozai, even though I learned a way to defeat him _without_ killing him?"

Katara nodded and kindly said, "I know, but-"

"Then you know how hard this is for me!" interjected Aang, his hand trembling slightly in her grasp. He hung his head down, resting his head against their intertwined hands. "I thought that now that the War was over, I'd never have to worry about killing anyone ever again." Katara felt his trembling increase, and soon a choked sob burst to life out of his mouth. "I don't want that kind of choice, Katara," brokenly said Aang, his tears coating their hands in a mournful sheen. "I don't want to be the one who decides who lives and who dies because of what they do."

Katara's eyes also filled with tears, her heart aching with pain for the partner of her heart. "Oh, Aang…" She rested her forehead against the arrow on his head, tenderly kissing the mark of his people with all the love that she could give him in that moment. "Don't cry, Aang. I'm here for you." Kissing his arrow again, she whispered, "I'm here for you…" Before she lost her courage, she affectionately spoke the three words that were sure to alleviate at least some of pain from his throbbing heart:

"I love you."

Aang's entire being seemed to shiver at her words, but it seemed to have an effect on him, for his bouts of sobbing grew distinctly quieter as soon as she had spoken. "I…I love you too," he whispered back to her, leaning against her for support. She enveloped him with her free arm, drawing him into a comforting hug that sought to quiet the sadness that had taken hold of his heart. They remained this way for almost three minutes, the empty night only sounding with the occasional sob from Aang.

Finally, Aang seemed to calm down. Katara sensed this and drew them out of their hug, gently cupping her free hand under his chin so that he could look up at her. Aang's cheeks were coated with a film of tears, his eyes slightly shaking from misery. Katara softly smiled at him and kissed his nose, whispering, "All better now?"

"A little," sniffed Aang, though he did manage to smile at her kindness. Katara had always helped him out in the past whenever he was struggling within himself, especially when it came to the matter of his Avatar duties. As much as he despised the conditions of the promise, it was a promise nonetheless, and he was determined to keep it in order to maintain the balance. "Katara?"

"Yes, Aang?" sweetly replied Katara, her eyes glowing in the heavenly light of the moon.

He gratefully smiled and pecked her on the lips with great tenderness. "Thank you," he sincerely whispered, meaning every word of his heart-felt gratitude. Katara was like his moon, shining a guiding light for him to follow into the darkest of times.

"You're welcome," warmly replied Katara, resting her forehead against his in order to increase their closeness.

"I've decided that I'm going to keep my promise," stated Aang. Before Katara could speak up, Aang said, "But _only_ if I have no other choice. If Zuko does turn out to be like his father, I want to try and talk to him first so that any conflict is avoided. If Zuko won't listen to the reasoning of his friends…then he's a threat to the world."

"Aang-"

"I know what I have to do now, Katara," firmly insisted Aang, dead certainty in his voice.

Katara smiled, glad that his conflict was resolved, if only temporarily. "I was going to say that you shouldn't have to worry about Zuko's promise for now."

Aang blinked a couple of times, realizing that he had gotten ahead of himself. "…I guess I could do that too," he slowly murmured, an embarrassed flush taking hold of his face as he sheepishly smiled.

Katara softly laughed, her voice echoing through the long streets of Ba Sing Se. "You're such a goofball sometimes," she mirthfully chuckled as she nuzzled her nose against his, eliciting a pleasant sound from the Avatar.

"Isn't that one of my most appealing qualities?" jokingly asked Aang as Katara leaned back, breaking off the intimate contact of their foreheads. He gave her signature smile, a lopsided grin that was full of energy and playfulness that she couldn't help but giggle with glee at the sight of it.

"I suppose it is," she cheerfully decided with a bright smile. "After all…" she quietly added with a pinkish blush of affection, "it's one of the things that attracted me to you." A touched smile and considerate blush blossomed on Aang's face, and Katara could feel his joyful heartbeats through his fingertips. They stared at each for a long moment, letting only their tender eyes and young hearts speak out their mutual love in silence. Finally, Katara asked, "Do you think you could make _me_ a couple of promises, Aang?" Seeing his disheartened frown, she quickly amended by saying, "None of the promises I have in mind involve you killing anyone."

"Oh good," breathed Aang with a relieved sigh. "You had me worried for a second there."

"Sorry," meekly murmured Katara, feeling very much foolish at the moment for her poor choice of words.

"Ah, don't worry about it," dismissed Aang with a wave of his hand, warmly smiling at his beloved girlfriend. "Now that do you want me to promise you?"

Katara took a deep breath and said, "I want you to first promise me that you won't dwell on Zuko's promise until there's a time and need to fulfill it." Her voice went soft as she added, "Seeing you tear yourself apart because of your promise to Zuko hurts me on the inside, Aang. You know I hate seeing you get depressed like this…"

"Well, you don't need to worry then," assured Aang. "I promise you that I won't think of Zuko's promise until there comes a time and need for me to keep it. If, and when, that time does come, I'll meditate on what I need to do." Katara smiled her satisfaction of Aang's first promise to her, seeing the burden lift itself off of his shoulders for now. "Now what's the second promise?"

"Actually, the second promise is more like a list of promises," admitted Katara. "Promise me that you'll always love me for who I am, that you'll always be faithful to both your friendship and love for me, and that you'll always be there for me if I ever need your help." Aang seemed truly surprised by her request, which led her to ask, "What's wrong?"

"I don't really see why you'd have me promise those sorts of things," admitted Aang, eliciting a perplexed reaction from Katara. Before she could present her reasons, Aang truthfully said, "I've done all of those things every day, ever since you broke me out of the iceberg. I can't promise you all of that now because I made those same promises the moment I looked into your heavenly eyes."

The sweetness and sincerity of Aang's words made joyous tears fill Katara's eyes, a tender and warm smile enveloping her face as a touched blush graced her cheeks with loving affection. How is it that he knew the exact words that made her heart flitter with unbridled happiness? How is it that he had loved her from the first day they met? How? How? _How?_

She decided to not focus on the _how_, but rather on the _why_.

Why had he said such a truthful, genuine, and heartfelt statement?

To her, the answer was simple:

Because he loved her.

Katara felt herself lean towards Aang, pressing her lips against his in a deep-seated kiss. She wrapped her arms around him, intensifying the closeness with the boy into a bond that was already planted deep in her heart, a bond of unbreakable love and resolute trust, caring, and respect. She poured all of her appreciation and gratefulness for Aang through her kiss, letting him know that she was happy with his statement of firm affection.

Soon she broke off the contact, feeling tears stream down her face as she smiled at Aang. The Avatar was smiling as well, his eyes soft in the radiance of the moonlight. "I take it that was good enough of a promise?"

"Way better than good," corrected Katara with a teasing smile, pulling Aang into an embrace, resting her head against his. "It was the best promise you could have ever given me." She felt Aang smile against her, the corner of his mouth rising up into her hair. Soon the two of them moved to the ground, still in each other's arms as they leaned against the railing. "Good night, Aang," she whispered as she rested her head against his chest.

"Good night, Katara," cheerily whispered Aang back, and soon they fell asleep in each other's arms with smiles on their faces.

The great Moon Spirit illuminated the young couple all night as they rested in each other's arms, protecting them from those who would wish to do them harm.

Sokka, surprisingly, was the first one to wake up the next morning. Surprised that Katara hadn't come back in and gone to bed, he went out to see Aang and Katara resting against the railing. He smiled as he leaned against the entrance of the tea shop, watching the young couple as their quiet breathing filled the silent morning air.

"I tell you, Mom," Sokka said with a shake of his head to the sky, "those two are absolutely crazy for each other." He decided to keep an eye on them, wanting to greet them when they awakened from their peaceful slumber. "And you know what?" he asked his departed mother, watching his sister's tranquil face as she slept. He smiled as he said, "I'm glad that they are."

* * *

><p>AUTHOR'S NOTE:<p>

Remember my advice, my loyal readers:

_**BUY THE BOOK, AND SUPPORT THE WORK OF THE PEOPLE WHO STRIVE SO HARD TO BRING THIS INCREDIBLE STORY TO US.**_


	4. Parting Company

First off, I'd like to thank all of you who are so faithfully following this little story of mine; it really makes my day. :) I won't talk much so you can go ahead and get on with the reading. :P Enjoy and review! :D

**DISCLAIMER:** I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender. The show and its characters belong to Mike and Bryan, the brillant geniuses behind one of the greatest cartoon shows in the history of cartoons. Their work is legendary, and I salute them for it. I also do not own "The Promise" story, which is written by Gene Yang, and is also the property of Mike and Bryan. I am simply help to spread the news of the upcoming story and do not take any responsibilty for the development of the story itself; I am only going off of what is known thus far.

**Parting Company**

Appa grunted as he shook his body, loosening himself up for the arduous journey ahead as the sun rose higher into the cobalt sky, while Momo purred softly as he slept in the saddle. Team Avatar stood assembled in front of the railing outside _The Jasmine Dragon_, their festive clothes from the night before gone and replaced with their normal attire: Aang still in his Master Airbender robes, Katara and Sokka in their respective Water Tribe outfits, Toph in her Blind Bandit tunic, Suki in her Kyoshi Warrior garb and face paint, Mai in her Fire Nation clothes, and Zuko in his Fire Lord robes.

After everyone had woken up, they had eaten a filling breakfast of various fruits and meats, courtesy of Iroh, and had gotten ready shortly thereafter for their departures. Now that they stood on the precipice, a somber sort of quiet had passed over the group. None of them wanted to leave each other, but they knew that it was necessary for what was to come for the restoration of the world.

Aang in particular was the most somber out of the group; during breakfast, Katara had stated that she and Sokka were going to travel back to the Southern Water Tribe in order to visit their father and Gran Gran for a short while. Aang had looked away once she had announced this, knowing that he couldn't go with her because of the Harmony Restoration Movement. Katara didn't seem to notice his sullen demeanor, but he figured maybe it was because she was trying to hide her own feelings as well. He had resolved himself to the fact that he would have to part company with Katara for at least a while to get the Harmony Restoration Movement underway, but he dearly hoped that this wouldn't be the last time he saw her; he would rather die than have Katara taken out of his life forever.

Finally, Toph broke the ice, saying, "I guess this is it, huh?" Everyone knew what she was talking about, since it had been the only thing on their minds for the past few hours.

"So it seems," simply replied Zuko, his amber eyes shining in the rays of the sun as he looked out over the Earth Kingdom Capital. Turning to the others, he said, "Mai and I are going back to the Fire Nation. I've spent too much time away from the Palace as is, and I have to find a way to get the colonies to agree to the Harmony Restoration Movement."

"But how will you get back to the Fire Nation?" asked Katara while she and the others looked over at Zuko.

"I had given instructions to my soldiers to send a ship to Ba Sing Se at the same time we departed from the Fire Nation. I have a battleship waiting in the nearby bay, close to where the Serpent's Pass is."

"Yeah, real great memories of that place," sarcastically said Sokka, remembering all the harrowing experiences that he and his friends had in that thin, jagged patch of earth.

"Hey, at least you weren't drowning after some crazy water snake knocked you into the water," pointed out Toph, her pale irises unmoving in their sightless overlook of the city.

"Speaking of yourself, Toph," thoughtfully said Sokka as he leaned on the railing, "what are you going to do now that the War is over?"

Toph considered Sokka's question for several moments, her brow creased with pondering, before she said, "Honestly…I don't know." Shrugging, she added, "I guess I _could_ go back to Gaoling and talk to my parents. It's been months since I last talked to them, and I want them to see what I've accomplished since I ran away. After that…well, I'll figure something out." Tilting her head towards Katara, she added, "I'll be sure to keep in touch with you guys however I can, even if it means getting someone to write letters for me."

"I think that's a wonderful idea, Toph," admirably said Katara with a smile. She knew that Toph didn't have the best relationship with her parents, but they were still her family; she still had that sense of unconditional love that a child has for his or her parents, no matter how hard they try to hide it underneath a hard and rocky exterior. Toph smiled at Katara's praise, her brow relaxing as she did so. Looking over at Suki, Katara said, "Sokka and I can drop you off at Kyoshi Island on our way back to the South Pole."

Suki gratefully smiled and kindly said, "I appreciate that, Katara." Seeing her boyfriend's sullen expression, she warmly hugged him and said, "Oh don't be sad, Sokka. You still have some time with me before you say goodbye."

Sokka's sadness seemed to lift, his face brightening at the prospect of spending more time with Suki. "I know, but I'm still going to miss you."

"You better miss me, you dolt," teased Suki as she let go of Sokka and playfully punched him in the arm, causing him to chuckle.

Katara looked over at Aang, her eyes widening in shock as she saw tears streaming down his face, his broken eyes fixated on the railing in front of him. Her concern reaching alarming levels, she quickly reached out and took hold of his hand. "What's wrong, Aang?" she worriedly asked, causing everyone to look over to see what the matter was. "Why are you crying?"

Aang let out a choked sob before he looked over at Katara, his eyes shaking with deeply-burrowed sorrow. "It's just…" He tried to manage a smile but failed miserably. "After everything we've been through as a group, it's just…really hard for me to see you all go." Finally finding the will to smile, he proudly said, "I'm honored to have fought alongside each of you this past year, but now we have to go off and do our own things in order to restore balance to the world, and I know that my path is to help Zuko." To Zuko, he said, "I'll go to the Fire Nation colonies so that they'll know what we intend to do with the Harmony Restoration Movement."

"I'd appreciate that, Aang," said Zuko with a firm nod of his head.

Before he lost his courage, he turned to the partner of his heart and said, "Katara…words cannot truly describe how much I have treasured this incredible journey I've taken with you and Sokka around the world. I wouldn't have traded it for anything else in the whole world."

The Waterbender seemed legitimately surprised by Aang's statement; from the way he was making it sound, he thought that this was the last time he would see her. She began to think to herself, _Why would he- oh…_ Realizing her mistake, she said, "Aang-"

"Please, Katara," said Aang with great difficulty, as if he was trying hard to not let his occasional sobs became a torrent of uncontrolled sorrow. "Please let me finish…" Before he lost his fortitude, he waveringly said, "I've grown to love you more than anyone else in my entire life, and I'm truly happy that you've come to love me the same way, but…but now we have to go our separate ways."

"But Aang-"

"Just promise me that you'll never forget about me," brokenly begged Aang, tightly squeezing Katara's hand as if it was his only lifeline in the midst of his raging turmoil. He didn't care if he was revealing his more intimate side to the rest of his friends; all that mattered in that moment was Katara, the incredible girl he had given his whole heart to. "If you ever forgot about me, I…I would just break apart and die." Tears now cascading down his face, he tried to muster a smile as he said, "I don't know how long it'll be before we see each other again, but I promise that I'll never, _ever_ forget about you."

Unable to take the interruptions, and Aang's brokenness, anymore, Katara finally said, "Aang, you're coming with us!"

The Avatar stopped himself before he could speak again, shoving the words back down his throat as quickly as a trap door slamming shut. Aang could hardly believe what he was hearing, and his surprise was made evident as he disbelievingly stammered, "W-What?"

"Did you really think I was going to leave you?" she laughingly asked him, finding his overreaction to the misinterpretation of her announcement at breakfast somewhat amusing; shocking, but amusing in a way. "I thought you would have included yourself in with us when I said that Sokka and I were going home to the South Pole. It'd take us forever to get back home without Appa."

Still hardly believing what was happening, a bright smile erupted on Aang's face as he joyfully asked, "You mean you really want me to come with you?"

"Of course I do, you doofus!" mirthfully giggled Katara, pulling Aang into a tight embrace as both of them laughed. "There's no way I could ever leave you, especially not after the incredible day I had with you yesterday." Pulling out of the hug, but keeping him at arm's length, she smiled as she felt her own tears emerge and added, "You've become really important to me, Aang, and I never want you to leave my side ever again."

Unable to contain his happiness anymore, tears of gladness fell down Aang's face as he smiled. "I don't know how you managed to do it, Katara, but you've made me the happiest guy in world for the second day in the row."

"It's a gift," cheekily replied Katara with a mischievous wink. She pulled him into a deep kiss, eliciting an 'oogies' complaint from Sokka, but she didn't care; all she knew in that brief span of time was her beloved Aang.

Shortly after Aang and Katara separated from their kiss, Sokka looked over at the couple and said, "You two _do_ realize that you'll have to tell Dad and Gran Gran about your relationship, right?"

"Oh shoot!" exclaimed Katara, face-palming herself for overlooking such a crucial fact. Dragging her hand down her face, she glumly added, "I forgot about that…"

"Ho, man!" chortled Sokka, earning him a dirty glare from Katara. "I can't _wait_ to see Dad's reaction!" Looking over at Aang, he said, "Dude, I feel sorry for you. While our Dad can be a great guy, you _really_ don't want to cross him when it comes to his children."

"But I haven't done anything to make him think I would ever hurt you and Katara!" protested Aang, a sense of dread coming over him at the prospect about talking to Hakoda about his new relationship with Katara.

"True," admitted Sokka with a shrug, "but that doesn't mean he'll lay down the law on you when it comes to you being with Katara."

"Sokka, stop scaring Aang!" ordered Katara, dropping Aang from her grasp and whirling around to glower at her annoying brother. "Dad really respects Aang, so there's no way he would ever keep Aang from being with me."

"You don't know that," pointed out Sokka as he lightly poked her forehead with each word, making her growl with annoyance. "Avatar or not, Dad's going to chew Aang alive when he finds out that you two are together." Aang's face paled at that prospect, and soon he fell to the ground, his panic causing him to faint.

Katara looked back to see that Aang had fainted, and her face immediately scrunched with anger. Whipping back on Sokka and grabbing his tunic, she got in his face and screamed, "Now look what you did! You scared Aang so much that he _fainted_!" Shoving Sokka away from herself, Katara immediately stooped down by Aang's side, fanning his face with her hand as she frantically said, "Come on, Aang, wake up!"

Soon the Avatar recovered from his bout of fright, his eyes fluttering open as he came to. "Wha…what happened?" he groggily asked as he rubbed the back of his head, his eyes seeming very hazy at the moment.

"Sokka happened," growled Katara, stealing a hard glance back at her brother, who cringed at her icy glare. Softening her gaze as she looked back at Aang, she helped him to his feet and soothingly said, "Don't listen to anything my brother says; I'm sure my Dad's going to be thrilled when he hears that we're together."

"How can you be sure?" doubtfully asked Aang, fear flashing in his eyes like a dozen suns.

She smiled at him and replied, "Because he's always wanted what's best for me, and you're the best thing that's ever happened to me." Both of them lovingly smiled and blushed at one another, and all of Aang's tension seemed to melt away. Turning back on Sokka, her anger and irritation returned as she forcibly said, "And Sokka, you're on thin ice with me for nearly scaring Aang into his next life." Aang couldn't help but chuckle a little at Katara's hidden joke, though Sokka didn't seem to be as amused as Aang; he actually seemed terrified of his sister.

"I was just joking around!" defensively protested Sokka, indignantly crossing his arms in front of his chest as he huffed.

"Is this really how we wish to remember this moment?" came Iroh's voice from the entrance of the tea shop. Everyone looked to see the Dragon of the West walking towards them, a firm blaze in his wise amber eyes. Stopping about six feet from the group, Iroh folded his hands behind his back. "Do we want to remember this moment as a time when we exchanged bitter words over a simple matter of teasing?"

Sokka and Katara both seemed to cow under Iroh's sentinel gaze, actually feeling a little threatened by the elderly Firebender. Turning to Sokka, Iroh said, "Young man, I understand your intentions to joke around with Aang, but Katara does have a point; do not frighten the boy with the improbable prospect that your father would cause him bodily harm for dating Katara."

Sokka closed his eyes and shamefully hung his head down, quietly mumbling, "Yes sir…"

Turning to Katara this time, Iroh said, "Young lady, I understand that you believe your father would be accepting of Aang, but do not squabble with Sokka on such a matter. Don't forget that your father has the final say on whether you and Aang have his blessing or not. While I can't predict how your father will react, you must be ready for the possibility that he may _not_ give his blessing to you and Aang."

Katara humbly followed her brother's example, closing her eyes and meekly hanging her head down as she murmured, "Yes sir..."

Seeing the siblings relent in their anger towards each other, Iroh's stern and authoritative expression melted into that of the kind and quirky old man they all had come to know and love. He stepped up to the siblings and placed his hands on their shoulders, causing them to open their eyes and look up at him with sad expressions.

Iroh warmly smiled at them and said, "I know that you two dearly love each other and that you only mean well, but this is a time to put aside petty arguments and look towards the bright future that lies before all of you. Whether your father accepts Aang into your family or not, he is still a part of _this_ family, the family that you have come to love with all your young hearts on this incredible journey." Giving them both a wistful wink, he cheerily added, "However, I do have enough experience as a father to know that your father would gladly accept Aang into your family, especially after everything the three of you have been through together."

To Sokka, he said, "Your father will see that Aang is a truthful, respectable, and honest young man, all wonderful traits that he will no doubt admire when it comes time for Aang to garner his blessing." To Katara, he said, "Your father will see how much Aang means to you, how much you truly care about him, as well as how much you mean to him. Like you said, your father wants nothing but the best for his beloved daughter, and he will no doubt question Aang as to whether _he _loves _you_ in the same way. But he will not question Aang out of anger, spite, or distrust; rather, he will question Aang because he wants to make sure that your heart will be well guarded by the boy you've come to trust in this way. He will question Aang out of the fatherly concern in his heart, and I can tell that you and your brother mean the world to him."

Katara and Sokka managed to smile at Iroh's words, though Sokka seemed to be quite apprehensive himself. Sokka nervously looked over at the Avatar and hesitantly said, "Hey, Aang?"

The young boy looked over at Sokka with curious eyes. "Yeah Sokka?"

Swallowing his pride, Sokka sincerely said, "I'm sorry, buddy. I shouldn't have freaked you out like that. It's just…you've become like a brother to me, especially after all you've done to protect Katara. You're my best friend, and I can't help but admire you for everything that you've done for the world, for our group, and for my sister. I just mess around with you because…well, because…"

Seeing Sokka struggle with his thoughts, Aang smiled and dismissively waved his hand, saying, "You don't have to say it, Sokka."

"Oh good," breathed Sokka in a sigh of relief. "I really don't do these touchy-feely moments very well."

"But you're still the best brother in the world," proudly said Katara as Iroh dropped his hands from the siblings' shoulders, allowing for Katara to lovingly embrace her brother. "I'm sorry, Sokka," she sincerely said as he wrapped his arms around her. "I shouldn't have gotten so angry with you."

"I'm the one who should be sorry, Katara," corrected Sokka. "You had every right to be angry with me."

"Not to ruin the moment," interjected Toph, causing the siblings to break apart from their hug, "but all this sibling-gush is going to make me sick." She smirked as everyone burst out laughing, knowing that she was only joking.

Once everyone had settled from their mirth, Aang realized something. "Wait a minute!" he exclaimed, whipping his head towards Zuko. "If I'm going to the South Pole with Katara and Sokka, then who'll go to the Fire Nation colonies?"

"No one really," admitted Zuko with a shrug of his broad-plated shoulders. Seeing a panicked look come across Aang's face, Zuko said, "Look, if you, Katara, and Sokka spend less than a month in the South Pole, you won't miss much in the Fire Nation. Besides, it'll take time for me to send out edicts to all of the colonies, and it'll take even longer to get together the forces needed to relocate those colonials back to the Fire Nation."

"But you're going to need our help," pointed out Katara, brushing aside some hair that had fallen in her face.

"True," admitted Zuko, "but I need to know that I can rule my nation on my own and get my people to listen to me before I bring you guys in for help. It hasn't been that long since I took the throne, so I need to establish myself as one who's greater than my father was. The Fire Nation needs to know just what kind of Fire Lord I am, what kind of legacy I'll leave behind so that everyone in the world will remember what I did."

"Remember what I've told you in the past, nephew," stated Iroh, causing Zuko to look over at him. "You must rely upon the help of your friends from every nation in order to restore balance to the world. You have the power to do great things as Fire Lord, but you cannot forget the bonds you have created with all of these young people."

"I won't forget, Uncle," promised Zuko as he bowed in the traditional Fire Nation fashion, his crowning headpiece shining in a gleam of sunlight. Coming out of his bow, Zuko turned to Aang and said, "You can spend a little time in the South Pole with Katara, Sokka, and their family, maybe about a month or so. After that, I'll need all of you to come to the Fire Nation as quickly as the wind, or Appa," – he smirked a little – "can carry you."

"We'll be there, Zuko," firmly promised Aang with a strong nod of his head. A sense of quiet passed over the group, the unsettling calm that sank in before friends said good-bye for the time being. They all knew that they had to go, but no one wanted to be the first to say good-bye; they had all been through so much together that none of them wanted to be the one to say the words that were caught in the back of their throats.

Finally, Iroh melted the tension by saying, "Now you have come to the most important part of your young lives: testing the bonds of friendship that have been forged between all of you. Never forget all that you have achieved together: all the hardships, success, tragedies, laughter, tears, and joyous celebrations that have led you to this point." Brightly smiling at all of them, he proudly said, "All of you have done incredible, awe-inspiring things for the world, which will not go unforgotten for generations to come. Today, you are heroes of the world; perhaps a hundred years from now, you will be legends that will inspire people to always strive for peace and harmony."

"That's very kind of you to say," appreciatively said Aang with a cheery smile.

Iroh chuckled and said, "But it's all true, nonetheless. Now go out there and fulfill your destinies, and remember that _The Jasmine Dragon_ will always be open to you, whether you seek refuge, words of advice, or just a nice hot cup of Ginseng Tea."

"We will," simultaneously promised Team Avatar at the same time, giving Iroh a slight bow that he returned in kind. Inspired by Iroh's words, everyone gave each other their own individual hugs and good-byes. There were a few tears to be had, but there were also warms smiles to go along with those tears, so the aching in their hearts was dulled out for the moment.

Aang and Katara took their place on Appa's head while Sokka and Suki scrambled into the saddle, which stirred Momo from his nap and caused the Lemur to jump onto Sokka's head. Aang watched Zuko, Mai, and Toph make their way down the street towards the Lower Ring, disappearing as the buildings swallowed them up.

"You ready, Aang?" cheerily asked Katara from beside him, her voice filled with excitement.

Aang affectionately kissed her cheek and happily said, "I'm ready, Katara." Slipping one hand into hers, he whipped the reins with his free hand and joyfully cried out, "Yip yip, buddy! We're heading to the South Pole!" Appa jubilantly bellowed as he took off with a mighty gust of air, propelling himself high into the sky on the winds of destiny. Within ten minutes, the grand city of Ba Sing Se faded into the distance, hidden behind the far horizon as the Sky Bison flew southward.

Sokka and Suki climbed up to the front of the saddle, smiling as the wind rushed past them. "Looks like we're headed home," gladly said Sokka.

"Yeah," softly said Katara as she rested her head on Aang's shoulder, feeling him smile as she did so. With a small smile, she quietly said to herself, "We're headed home."

* * *

><p>AUTHOR'S NOTE:<p>

Remember my advice, my loyal readers:

_**BUY THE BOOK, AND SUPPORT THE WORK OF THE PEOPLE WHO STRIVE SO HARD TO BRING THIS INCREDIBLE STORY TO US**_


	5. The Journey Home

And the journey continues. :D Again, I'd like to thank everyone who are so faithfully following this little escapade of mine. You guys are what makes writing worthwhile, so as a reward, I've given you yet _another_ long chapter. :D I love wriitng this additive chapters, since it allows me to expand the story beyond what the leaked panels provide. It really allows me to unleash my imagination. :) Anyways, enough of my ramble; on with the story! Please enjoy and review! :D

NOTE: I have finals coming up in a couple of weeks, so I won't be doing much writing for a while. However, I have enough chapters of this story written up so that there'll be another update next Friday. My last day of finals is December 14, so after that I can write to my heart's content during Christmas Break. :D

**DISCLAIMER:** I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender. The show and its characters belong to Mike and Bryan, the brillant geniuses behind one of the greatest cartoon shows in the history of cartoons. Their work is legendary, and I salute them for it. I also do not own "The Promise" story, which is written by Gene Yang, and is also the property of Mike and Bryan. I am simply help to spread the news of the upcoming story and do not take any responsibilty for the development of the story itself; I am only going off of what is known thus far.

**The Journey Home**

Toph had to hand it to Zuko; his people really did know how to build grand battleships.

Of course, she had been on a Fire Nation vessel before after Aang was killed in Ba Sing Se, and she and her friends were hiding out while planning their next move, but that dingy little boat of theirs paled in comparison to the magnificent ship floating in the water before her.

Toph could feel that the ship was several hundred feet long, the bow adorned with a majestic figure piece of a blazing dragon. She could feel metallic flames decorating the sides of the ship, which traveled from the edge of the bow to the edge of the stern. The central tower of the ship felt unadorned, but she could feel that the inside was just as spectacular as the outside.

She could, of course, feel all of this because of the single metal ramp that extended from the ship onto the rocky shore. Being able to see through both earth and metal, Toph was grateful for the chance to feel just what kind of ship the Fire Lord traveled in.

Through the earth, she could feel the winding and treacherous Serpent's Pass a couple of miles to her right, its narrow yet mighty peaks extending her subterranean vision skyward. The plain that she, the knife thrower, and the Fire Lord were traveling on stretched out for countless miles on either side of them.

Soon the small group came within sight of the ship, as indicated by the extravagant fanfare that emanated from the ship as the three of them approached. An honor guard of elite Firebenders created a narrow passage to the ramp, their gleaming helmets shining bright in the late afternoon sun.

Stopping at the edge of the procession, Zuko turned to Toph and said, "Thanks for escorting Mai and I here, Toph."

"Ah, don't mention it," dismissed Toph with a casual wave of her hand, folding her hands behind her head. "I couldn't just let you and Dagger Lady here walk out of Ba Sing Se and across the plain without the world's greatest Earthbender to protect you." Remembering Zuko's mastery of Firebending, she added, "Not that you would have needed it anyway, seeing as how you're the Fire Lord and what not, but I just thought I'd be nice and help ya out."

Zuko smirked and said, "I thought the issue of you being the world's greatest Earthbender wasn't resolved yet. Remember when you fought against Bumi before the Comet arrived? Sokka declared the match to be a draw."

"Oh yeah," realized Toph, dropping her arms down by her sides and scuffing her bare foot on the compacted earth below her. "I guess I could head over to Omashu after I'm done talking with my parents and teach that old cook a thing or two about chucking rocks."

"Let's just hope we don't feel the tremors all the way in the Fire Nation Capital," joked Zuko, eliciting a smugly satisfied smirk from Toph, as if she relished in the idea of her Earthbending being felt over such a long distance. Deciding not to waste any more time with idle chit-chat, Zuko mustered himself up and said, "Well, I guess this is it." Toph nodded her agreement, her smirk falling from her face. "Take care of yourself, Toph, and good luck with your parents."

Finding the will to smile, Toph cheerily said, "Good luck with running the Fire Nation, Sparky, and don't forget about that promise." A dangerous flare burst to life in Zuko's eyes, his smile falling only to be replaced by a look of mild panic. Toph could feel the Fire Lord's heartbeat triple in its pace, beating through the ground like a colony of ravenous Badger-Moles.

Mai raised a scrupulous eyebrow as she turned towards her boyfriend and suspiciously asked, "What promise?" Zuko nervously glanced over at Mai, seeing threatening daggers poising to strike from her steely amber eyes.

Sensing that Zuko wasn't about to answer his girlfriend, Toph cocked her head towards the knife thrower and curiously asked, "Sparky didn't tell you?" She felt Zuko's alarmed eyes shoot towards her, the frantic beating of his heart practically screaming at her not to tell Mai about the promise he had Aang make to him. Deciding to spare Zuko from a fatal heart attack, Toph gestured to the Fire Lord and said, "When we were flying around on Appa during the celebration in Ba Sing Se, I asked Zuko if he'd be willing to spar with me whenever he's not busy, and he promised to do so." Nodding her head in an overly polite towards Zuko, she casually added, "Isn't that right, Your Majesty?"

Giving Toph a brief glare of annoyance, he regained his composure as he turned towards Mai and said, "Yeah, Toph's right. That is _exactly _the promise I made to her. Whenever I'm not busy with my Fire Lord duties, I'll invite Toph to the Fire Nation so that we can duke it out to see who the better fighter is."

Mai studied Zuko for several long moments, searching for any hints of deception. Finding none, she sighed and dryly said, "Whatever. I'll be waiting onboard." She made her way through the honor guard, who gave her a small salute as she walked by each soldier. Zuko watched as Mai walked off, the iron grip of his secret betrayal tearing at his heart.

Once Toph felt that Mai was far enough away, safely within the metal confines of the ship, she turned to Zuko and whispered in a deathly low undertone, "You didn't tell her about the promise you had Aang make, did you?"

"No," muttered Zuko in the same tone so that no one would hear their secret conversation.

"Well, why not?" quietly demanded Toph, restraining herself from shouting her head off at the blockheaded Fire Lord.

"I-" began Zuko, though he couldn't find the words he was looking for. After several moments, he sighed and said, "Look, I really care about Mai. She's the one thing that makes going back home worth doing my duty as the Fire Lord. I don't want to upset her with the prospect that I could end up like my father, which would lead to Aang fulfilling his promise to end me."

Taking on a soft, concerned tone, Toph quietly said, "You know you can't keep that secret forever, Zuko. You're going to have to tell her eventually."

"Eventually," agreed Zuko, "but not for the time being. When there's a time and need for her to know, I'll tell her." Seeing Toph's unconvinced scowl, he reassuredly said, "I promise." He thought how ironic it was that he had Aang make a promise to him, and now _he _was the one making promises.

Toph tiredly sighed, briefly closing her pale eyes before looking up at Zuko and saying, "I seriously hope you don't turn out like your old man, Sparky. You're a good guy, and I'd hate for you to become the thing that we worked so hard to bring down." Zuko merely nodded his acknowledgement, knowing full well of the implications of him turning into his father. Deciding not to waste any more time, Toph playfully punched Zuko in the arm and said, "Now go show 'em how a _real_ Fire Lord runs his nation."

"I'll be sure to," promised Zuko with a small smile. Not being one for sentimentalities, Toph merely smiled back before turning around and launching herself forward, slamming into the earth with a massive slam. The earth underneath Toph melded to her will, forming into giant mounds that propelled the petite girl along at an incredible speed. Pumping her legs as hard as she could, Toph sped away from the ship and out onto the open plain, angling herself towards the direction of Gaoling.

Once Toph was out of sight, the only sign of her being the dust cloud that she kicked up with her Earthbending, Zuko turned towards the ship and began to walk. As soon as he entered the procession of soldiers, they saluted him and shouted, "All hail Fire Lord Zuko!" A sense of pride welled itself up in Zuko's chest, knowing that this was what he had wanted all along: for people to respect him for who he was and what he had done for the world.

He looked up to see the ship's Captain standing there, flanked on either side by two Firebenders. The Captain, who seemed to be a middle-aged man with a thick black mustache, saluted Zuko and said, "It is an honor to finally meet you in person, my Lord." Coming out of his bow, he added, "I am Captain Zhong, and I am in charge of your personal battleship for as long as you rule over the Fire Nation." Regarding Zuko with a polite air, he asked, "Shall I set a course for home, Sire?"

Zuko warmly smiled, thinking about how much his life had changed in the past year. He had gone from being the bane of the Fire Nation to being its most respected and admired ruler in centuries. It all seemed so overwhelming and yet so unbelievably real that he couldn't bring himself to speak.

After several long moments of silence, Zhong concernedly asked, "Is something wrong, Fire Lord Zuko?"

Zuko caught himself, blinking to bring himself back to reality. "No, nothing's wrong," he assured. He straightened himself up as he proudly said, "Captain Zhong, chart a course for the Fire Nation. We're going home."

* * *

><p>"There's the ocean, guys," announced Sokka as he stood on the shore, letting the pounding waves try in vain to grab him. The moon shone bright above them, signaling the end of their journey for the day. They had been flying ever since they left Ba Sing Se, flying in a south-westerly direction, only stopping briefly enough to eat when the need arose. In just the course of two days, Appa had managed to carry them from Ba Sing Se to the coastline of the Earth Kingdom with Kyoshi Island just on the horizon; of course, they had been lucky enough to have a strong tailwind behind them most of the time, which sped up the traveling process.<p>

Appa was just a ways behind him, grunting as he lay down on the cool earth in order to rest. Looking around, Sokka could see that Suki and Momo, who left shortly after to find some berries to eat, were the only ones to have joined him on the beach. "Where are Aang and Katara?" he asked his girlfriend, who looked over at him as he asked his question.

Suki teasingly smiled as she said, "You and I both know where those two are."

"Oh yeah," realized Sokka as he slapped the side of his head, knocking some sort of sense into his thick skull. "They're probably snuggling up on Appa or something just as mushy." Turning towards Appa, he cupped his hands and shouted, "At least they're not giving me the _oogies_!"

"Shut up, Sokka!" shouted Katara in annoyance from the saddle, causing Sokka to mirthfully chuckle as he dropped his arms.

"Oh let those two be," playfully chided Suki as she lightly punched Sokka's arm.

"I can't help it," shrugged Sokka, the bones in his shoulders shifting slightly as he did so. "Katara's my sister, so it's my job to tease her about her and her boyfriend. It's just my way of showing that I still approve of them being together."

Suki brightly smiled as she slipped her gloved hand into Sokka's bare one, giving it a light squeeze as she said, "You're such a nice brother to do so, but sometimes those two just need time to themselves. We've all been through a lot on this journey, especially those two, and I think that they deserve to spend however much time they want together."

"That is until Aang has to talk to our Dad," cautiously warned Sokka, taking the lead as he walked down the beach with his beloved Kyoshi Warrior. "I just don't know how he's going to take it. I mean, Katara and I mean a lot to him, especially Katara…" He sadly looked up at the moon, reminded of loved ones lost to the uncompromising grip of death. "Katara really reminds Dad of our Mom, so he's just a bit more defensive with her than he is with me."

"But he still loves you both the same way, right?" curiously asked Suki, enjoying the feel of Sokka's hand in hers. Her boyfriend had changed a lot over the course of the War, going from a sexist, immature, obnoxious…well, he could still be immature and obnoxious at times, but the point was still the same: Sokka had changed for the better because of his journey around the world with his friends.

"Of course he does," replied Sokka without a moment's hesitation, looking back at Suki with firmly set eyes. "It's just…" His eyes softened. "Katara's a lot more like Mom than I am, and that's why Dad's more defensive of Katara than he is with me."

"You know Katara can take care of herself," pointed out Suki.

"I know," admitted Sokka, "but that's when it comes to fighting. She may be a Master Waterbender, but she's still just a teenage girl; she's still vulnerable in her heart." Sokka stopped and closed his eyes, heavily sighing as a weight set itself upon his heart. "It would break both Dad and I if Aang did anything to hurt Katara and leave her broken-heartened." He felt of leather-bound fingers cup his cheek, and he opened his eyes to see Suki's blue-green eyes staring worriedly at him.

Suki lovingly smiled and soothingly said, "You and I both know that Aang would _never_ do anything to hurt Katara. Even before they were together, Aang treated her with great respect, caring, and even a little admiration." Her voice took on a calm, quiet tone as she added, "He really does love her, Sokka, and I can tell that she loves him just as much." She tenderly pecked his lips, giving him her full-fledged support. "Does Aang really seem like the kind of guy to play with a girl's emotions just to leave her high and dry?"

"…No," replied Sokka after a few moments, though he wasn't sure why he hesitated. He remembered Katara's brief crush on Jet, how that scheming weasel just led his sister on so that he could use her. He knew Aang was nowhere within the spectrum of jerkiness that Jet had been, but still…there was always that little 'what if' nagging him in the back of his mind. "But I don't think Dad would have the same opinion of Aang that I do. He'll want to talk to Aang when we get back home to make sure that Katara's making the right decision to date him."

"As any good father should," admirably commented Suki with a soft smile. "Once your father sees how great of a guy Aang is, he'll know that Katara is making the right decision. Until then…" She leaned closer towards him, letting her warm breath splash on his tan skin, making him shudder slightly. She gave off a soft hum and teasingly said, "Don't you worry your meat-filled brain about it."

"Hey!" retorted Sokka as he pulled back, preventing Suki from kissing him. Seeing her chuckle all the more, he scowled at her with feigned indignity. "I don't think about meat _all_ the time!" he huffily argued, yanking his hand out of hers and turning his back to her, crossing his arms in front of his chest as he did so.

"Oh come on, Sokka," giggled Suki, amused with her boyfriend's antics. "I was only joking."

"Suki," said Sokka with fake warmness as he spun around on her, "there are a few things in life that one doesn't just 'joke'" – he made air quotes as he said this – "about. Let me list them off for you." Counting off of his fingers, he said, "Break-ups, meat, war, meat, death, meat, sickness, meat, meat, meat, and _most_ importantly, meat."

"You said 'meat' seven times," said Suki with a snicker as she playfully poked Sokka in the ribs.

"That's how important meat is!" argued Sokka as he threw his arms above his head in pretended frustration. Gesturing to Suki, he added, "I just don't get why you girls can't get that!"

A dangerous light flashed through Suki's eyes, her face adopting its war mask. "I thought you were past your sexism," she lowly said, hidden aggression waiting to pounce on Sokka.

"Of course I am," quickly assured Sokka with raised hands, causing the angry light to subside slightly. "Look," he sighed, "I didn't mean for it to sound like I was holding anything against girls." Slipping his hand into hers once more, he quietly added, "Especially not you." Suki smiled and blushed, her pasty cheeks painted crimson as her anger faded away completely. "Now come on," said Sokka. "Let's keep walking on this beautiful night." Suki nodded, and soon the couple found themselves slowly walking down the dark beach as Yue's light illuminated them.

Meanwhile, on Appa, Aang and Katara were contentedly snuggling in the saddle, staring up at the starry sky with awe. Katara's head was resting on Aang's shoulder, her legs curled up beneath her as her arms enveloped Aang's body. The Avatar's arm was around Katara's shoulder, his hand lightly stroking her hair with tender affection and his other hand intertwined with one of Katara's hands. Aang could still hardly believe what was going on; here he was, peacefully resting on Appa, staring up at the stars on a calm and gorgeous night with the girl of his dreams wrapped up in his arms.

It all seemed so impossible, so unreal, like an intangible dream…and yet, it wasn't a dream.

This was his destiny, the life that he had made his own.

Katara looked up at Aang, who seemed to be in deep contemplation. "What are you thinking about?" she inquisitively asked, causing him to look down at her.

Aang smiled and replied, "I was just thinking about how things have changed from a year ago: the War is finally over, we're not on the run anymore, and we're finally together."

"I especially like that last one," agreed Katara with a cheery smile, eliciting a soft chuckle from Aang.

"Me too," chuckled Aang, warmly kissing her forehead. Just the very feel of her skin against his lips sent thrilling chills down his spine, and that pleasure only intensified whenever his lips would find hers. Just six months before, back in the Earth Kingdom, the very thought of kissing her like this seemed almost too forbidden, too forsaken for one such as himself to even consider. Now, he was unrestrained in his affectionate ways, pouring all of himself into each tender and loving act that he made with this incredible girl. Well, he was unrestrained in _most_ aspects of affection and intimacy, but those deeper, more sacred acts of love were things that were not even considered in his mind.

"I have a question for you," stated Katara suddenly as Aang leaned back.

"Oh?" asked Aang with a raised eyebrow. "What is it?"

Katara softly smiled and asked, "Just how long have you felt about me like this?" Aang opened his mouth to say something, but Katara stopped him by saying, "I know you said that you felt something for me when I broke you out of the iceberg, but when did a simple crush turn into…_this_?" She gestured to their current position, the affectionate cuddling they found themselves in at the moment.

Aang considered her question for several long moments, his hand absent-mindedly stroking her hair all the while. The journey his heart had taken to include Katara in the deepest part of his being…it seemed such an arduous task to recall all at once. "Well…" slowly began Aang, "it really wasn't a crush until we went to Makapu Village." Looking back at her, he asked, "Do you remember that necklace I made for you when you lost your mother's?"

"The one you made out of a flower and Sokka's fishing line?" replied Katara with a teasing smirk.

Aang grinned at the memory, especially the part where Sokka was smacked in the face by a fish. "Yeah. When you asked how you looked with that necklace on…well…" He shyly looked away from her, timidly smiling as he recalled how stunning and jaw-droppingly beautiful she was at that time.

"Well what?" giggled Katara, lightly prodding her boyfriend to get him to continue.

Aang felt his cheeks burn with slight embarrassment, but he still warmly smiled as he looked back at her and said, "You just looked so incredible to me that I couldn't help but have the biggest crush on you. All of my thoughts just centered around you from then on; I literally couldn't get you off of my mind no matter how hard I'd try." Giving her a regarding nod, he hastily added, "Not that I would ever try not thinking about you, of course."

"I should hope not," giddily chuckled Katara, leaning in and giving him a chaste peck on the cheek. Leaning back from him with a loving smile, she said, "But that still doesn't answer my question."

"You're right," Aang sighed, though he was more than happy to tell her how she had become so important to him. "When I realized my crush for you, I wanted to see if I was really meant to end up with you. I even eavesdropped on your fortune-telling with Aunt Wu-" His eyes suddenly shot wide and he clamped his mouth shut, stopping his hand from further stroking her hair as he realized his stupid mistake. Why in the name of the Spirits would he just _tell_ her that he did such a thing?

Katara's surprise was evident, as she seemed to stop breathing for several seconds as her eyes similarly widened. "You…eavesdropped on me and Aunt Wu?" she slowly asked, a sense of apprehension gripping her heart. A furious blush coated her cheeks, realizing that Aang had heard the same thing that Aunt Wu had said about her future love life.

Face burning bright scarlet and maroon, Aang quickly sought to remedy the situation. "I'm sorry!" he speedily apologized. "It's just…I really, _really_ liked you at the time and I wanted, you know, to make sure that I ended up with you." He kept mentally slapping himself for not realizing at the time what kind of repercussions his stealthy actions would bring about.

"What _exactly_ did you hear Aunt Wu tell me?" tensely asked Katara, her arms stiff as a pair of wooden planks.

Even his arrows began to burn with shame and timidity as he sheepishly muttered, "Well…she said something-"

"No, Aang," sternly interjected Katara, though her racing heart betrayed her supposed anger. "Tell me _exactly _what you heard."

Aang closed his eyes and wearily sighed; how could he have been so stupid? Opening his eyes, he relented and said, "Aunt Wu said that you were going to marry a very powerful bender. I was so happy when I heard that, since I thought that _I _would be that bender, I could hardly believe it. Sure, I had a huge crush on you, but…I guess a part of me wanted to be yours forever. As to when my crush became this, I can't really say…but it seemed that the crush faded over time and was replaced with a real kind of love."

"I wanted nothing more than to hold you in my arms, to tell you how much I truly care for you. You are just the most awe-inspiring and perfect girl I've ever met; even before we were together, every little thing you did just set my heart soaring into the clouds. I've always admired you, Katara, and when I first had a crush on you I thought that maybe I had some kind of future with you." He shook his head and said, "A stupid love-struck boy's dream, but that's what I was: stupid and love-struck. I can understand if you're angry at me for eavesdropping on you and Aunt Wu, and I totally deserve that anger. It was wrong of me to listen in on what your future held in store for you."

Katara's shock seemed to dissipate as Aang talked, hearing the sincerity and truth behind his words. Perhaps, at the time, she had felt the same thing when Sokka had commented on how powerful of a bender Aang was; maybe not the same kind of crushing feelings of suppressed affection, but rather the regarding sensation that maybe, just maybe, this boy _was_ meant to be hers. Maybe at the time she had secretly wished for that to really happen, but remembering the emotions roiling through her head at the time was fuzzy and scattered at best. "Aang…" she softly said. "I'm not mad at you."

Aang was so surprised that he blinked several times, as if to reassure himself that he had clearly heard what she had just said. "You aren't?"

Katara shook her head. "No." Giving him a small smirk, she added, "Sure, it's kind of weird and creepy that you listened in on my fortune-telling, but…I think it's kind of sweet that you had taken such an interest in me that you felt compelled to know whether or not we'd end up together."

Aang looked so dumbstruck and befuddled that Katara couldn't help but chuckle a little at his confusion. "You are seriously one strange girl," he muttered as he shook his head.

"Is that such a bad thing?" reasoned Katara with an innocent and playful smirk.

"Not really," admitted Aang, finally finding the will to smile as the awkwardness faded away. "Do you think it's really possible that we could end up getting married?"

Katara bashfully looked away, her heart feeling like it would burst free of her chest and just run off into the ocean. "I don't know…" she quietly admitted, shivering slightly as Aang resumed stroking her hair. She had never even considered that possibility, given the fact that they were so young and just now in a true relationship.

Seeing that Katara seemed burdened by such a serious thought, Aang said, "I didn't mean to make you feel pressured. I was just stating it as a possibility." Gently kissing her head, he added, "Let's just get through being a couple right now, and maybe some years down the road we'll see what happens."

"I'd like that," smiled Katara as she looked up at Aang, feeling things get much easier with his assurances. "But…maybe I'd like getting married to you." Fiercely blushing, she added, "Life certainly wouldn't be boring with you as my husband, and I'm sure our kids would have the best parents in the world." Both of them seemed to be thinking the same thing at the same time, which caused them both to burst out into even more violent blushes: children. "Umm…_would_ you want to have kids with me?"

Aang's eyes seemed to dart around, as if the stars were going to come down from the sky and bonk him on the head if he foolishly answered this question. "Uh…you mean _right now_?"

Katara's eyes shot out so wide that they almost seemed to bulge to the size of a grape-melon. "NO!" she fervently exclaimed, her entire face the color of the Fire Nation Royal Palace. "That's not what I meant!"

"But you asked-"

"I meant if we got _married!_"

"I know that's what you meant, but-"

"Then why would you assume I meant _right now?_"

"The way you made it sound-" He stopped himself before he said anything he might regret. "Let's just drop the issue, alright? We're not even going to consider having kids unless we get married, which we're still not even sure about yet. Besides, Sokka would kill me if I even thought of doing _that_ with you before then. We're not that kind of couple; I respect you far too much to think of using your body for my own selfish desires."

Katara sighed and rested her head against Aang's, almost feeling spent by their little misunderstanding. "I know, and I respect you just as much. For right now, you just keep on being the sappy and cheesy boyfriend who lovingly dotes on the girl of his dreams."

Aang burst out laughing, much to Katara's relief as she laughed along with him. "I'm pretty sure I can do that," cheerfully said Aang as he came out of his laughing fit. "After all, it's all I've dreamed about ever since I realized my true feelings for you." Giving her his most charming smile, she merrily giggled a little. "But what are _you_ going to do for right now?"

"Isn't it obvious?" quirked Katara as she turned to looked at Aang. She warmly smiled and added, "I'm going to be the most wonderful girlfriend in the world to the boy I completely and totally love." Before the moment was lost to the night, she leaned in towards Aang and planted a deep, heart-enveloping kiss on his lips, humming softly as her heart connected to his.

Soon the two separated from their tender embrace of lips, smiling brightly at each other as the stars seemed to match the pure luster shining in their souls. "As long as we keep doing those things, I'm sure we'll have a long life together," said Aang, pulling Katara so close to him that it seemed that they would become one at that moment. Katara seemed to enjoy their closeness as much as him, nuzzling her cheek against his and smiling as they snuggled.

"I'm sure we will," happily agreed Katara, resting against the boy her heart had come to trust and love more than anything in the entire world. They continued to stare up at the stars, seeing the stories of countless lovers, including Oma and Shu, etched into the shifting veil of blackness and scattered lights of hope.

* * *

><p>The next morning, the group departed from the coastline, making their way towards Kyoshi Island. After flying for a few hours, the home of the Earth Kingdom Avatar before Aang appeared on the horizon. After landing in the village, Sokka had said a very tearful good-bye to Suki.<p>

"Will I ever see you again?" Sokka had asked through his tears, which he found impossible to hold back at the moment.

Suki, who also had tears streaming down her face, had warmly smiled and cupped his cheek, saying, "Of course you will, Sokka. Someone's going to have to keep that crazy head of yours on straight."

Sokka had smiled when she said this and replied, "And that's one of the things you're best at." The couple had pulled into a lasting kiss, much to the gathered crowd's joy as they cheered the love they were witnessing. Even Katara seemed moved by the touching moment, feeling tears come to her eyes. Aang had noticed this and pulled her into an embrace, which she had happily returned. Even when Sokka and Suki were so far apart, they would always hold each other in their hearts.

Soon after, Appa took off from Kyoshi Island. Sokka continued to watch the mass of land until it disappeared over the blue horizon, at which point he finally wiped away his tears. He dejectedly sat himself back in the saddle, hugging his knees to his chest in an attempt to keep from crying again. Katara took the time to comfort her brother, reassuring him that he would Suki again someday.

"I know," Sokka had sniffed, "but I just miss her so much already."

"I know you do," Katara had soothingly assured him, pulling her saddened sibling into a loving embrace.

After a few minutes, Sokka seemed to regain his old self, smiling like he had just told some corny joke. He and his sister spent most of the day talking in the saddle, wondering what their home would be like upon their return. They both were excited at the changes they were sure to find, especially considering that their step-grandfather, Pakku, was helping to reconstruct their tribe.

Aang, on the other hand, seemed very much apprehensive at the task ahead of him…

Talking with Katara's father.

* * *

><p>AUTHOR'S NOTE:<p>

Remember my advice, my loyal readers:

_**BUY THE BOOK, AND SUPPORT THE WORK OF THE PEOPLE WHO STRIVE SO HARD TO BRING THIS INCREDIBLE STORY TO US.**_

Also, the next chapter (which'll be up next Friday) will be the moment everyone's been waiting for: Hakoda's talk with Aang. DUM DUM DUMMMM. 0_o


	6. The Talk with Papa Polar BearDog

Whoo boy, now we're getting to the good stuff. :D That's right, this is the moment you've all been waiting for: Hakoda's "talk" with Aang. :) Good God, did this chapter take a while to write. XD But that just makes it all the better, right? :P Anyways, on with the story! Please enjoy and review! :D

NOTE: For those of who you have this story on Story Alert or have me on their Author Alert list, I apologize if you got two E-mails confirming the upload of this chapter. Usually when I upload a chapter it sends me a confirmation E-mail right away, though it took a lot longer this time around. I, being the impatient guy I am, decided to remove the chapter and then reupload it again to see if it made the message appear faster. It did not, so that's why you've got two E-mails instead of one. Again, I apologize.

**DISCLAIMER:** I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender. The show and its characters belong to Mike and Bryan, the brillant geniuses behind one of the greatest cartoon shows in the history of cartoons. Their work is legendary, and I salute them for it. I also do not own "The Promise" story, which is written by Gene Yang, and is also the property of Mike and Bryan. I am simply help to spread the news of the upcoming story and do not take any responsibilty for the development of the story itself; I am only going off of what is known thus far.

**The Talk with Papa Polar Bear-Dog**

The morning sun shone bright on the frozen horizon, bringing a sense of warmth to the South Pole as Appa glided over the icy waves. Katara, Sokka, and Momo were fast asleep in the saddle while Aang sat at the reins, his constant vigilance keeping them on course as they flew towards the Southern Water Tribe.

Aang heavily sighed, his heart weary with dreaded apprehension. "What am I going to do, Appa?" he asked his animal companion. Appa merely grunted his reply, slightly lifting his head as he did so. "What am I supposed to tell Katara's dad? 'Hey, Hakoda, it's nice seeing you again. I hope things are going well here. Oh, by the way, I'm dating your daughter. Is that okay with you?'" He fell back against Appa's neck with an irritated "Ugh!", letting his frantic mind aimlessly wander through its inner madness that resulted from his fear of talking to Hakoda. "What am I going to do?" he helplessly repeated to the artic sky, which held no answers for the young Avatar.

Deciding to distract himself, he clambered up to the saddle and leaned over the edge of it. Sokka was at the back of the saddle, leaning against it as he slept. Momo was curled up on his head, looking very much like a puffball with pointy ears. Katara was sleeping against her brother, her mouth open slightly as she lightly breathed in and out.

Aang rested his chin on his arms and smiled as he watched his girlfriend; even in her sleep, she was still the most stunning thing he had ever seen. No matter what she did, she would always look amazing to his adoring eyes. He happily sighed and dreamily said to Appa, "She's pretty incredible, isn't she buddy?" Appa groaned his affirmative reply, then fell silent for a few more seconds before loudly bellowing with joy. Aang whipped around to see ice floes on the horizon, signaling that they were quickly approaching their destination.

Aang jumped into the saddle, lightly making his way over to Katara's side. The Waterbender shifted slightly in her sleep, closing her mouth as she snuggled closer into Sokka's shoulder with a sleepy moan. Seeing that her right cheek was still exposed, Aang decided to place a tender kiss on it. Hearing her stir from the kiss, he quietly whispered in her ear, "Good morning, Katara."

"Mmm?" moaned Katara as she cracked an eye open, a small smile playing upon her lips as her sleepy gaze fell on Aang. "'Morning, Aang," she softly mumbled, getting up off of her brother and shifting towards her boyfriend. Aang allowed her to cuddle into his arms, her head resting against his. "Are we close to home?" she groggily asked before she yawned.

Aang amusedly chuckled at Katara's sleepiness; for some strange reason, the way her eyes would only stay half-open when she was sleepy really brought out the blue in them. "I spotted ice floes off in the distance," explained Aang. "As far as I can tell, we should be back at your village within the hour."

"That's good," murmured Katara with a smile, nuzzling into his neck in order to keep warm. "You know," she said with a pleased smile, "I rather enjoyed being woken up by a kiss from you."

Aang merely shrugged and said, "I just did what I thought was natural."

Katara softly chuckled against him, her merriment reverberating throughout his body. "And your natural self is basically you wanting to make me feel like no other guy ever could?"

"That's one way of putting it, yes," cheerily responded Aang, eliciting another soft chuckle from Katara. Spirits, _everything_ she did just set his heart soaring into the Spirit World. Even the smallest of smiles from her made his heart ache with such love and adoration that it threatened to collapse within him; even the slightest of touches from her made his skin crawl with such uncontained joy. "Hey," he softly said, causing her to look up at him with curious eyes. Tenderly pecking her lips, he rested his forehead against hers and reverently whispered, "I love you."

Feeling the heat coming off of her flushed cheeks, she warmly smiled and gently returned the sweet kiss, softly whispering, "I love you too." They both lovingly smiled at one another, losing themselves to the depths of their partner's warming eyes. It was moments like these where they were reminded how lucky they were to have each other, how-

"Ahem."

Aang and Katara looked over to see Sokka staring at them with scrupulous eyes, the Lemur on his head giving him a sort of plush white cap. The Water Tribe warrior certainly didn't seem pleased, half-scowling and half-frowning at the couple. "I just woke up from the most wonderful sleep I've had in a long time, and the first thing you two decide to do is to give me the oogies?"

Katara's affectionate pink blush turned into an annoyed maroon as she glared at Sokka. "Always the one to ruin a romantic moment," she irritably observed as Aang let go of her, the two separating much to their disappointments.

"Hey," pointedly said Sokka as he sat up straighter, making Momo purr in his sleep as Sokka shifted, "don't blame me if all the mushy crud you two do gives me the oogies. Besides…" His gaze fell down to the saddle, a gleam of sadness shining in his eyes. "Seeing you two do that kind of stuff just reminds me more and more of Suki…"

Katara's face softened, compassion and guilt taking hold of her heart. It hadn't been that long since they dropped of Suki at Kyoshi Island, about a day-and-a-half or so, maybe two, and Sokka was still trying to get used to not having her around all the time. "I'm sorry," she sincerely said. "We didn't mean to upset you."

"Yeah," chimed in Aang, adding his voice to the conversation. "Katara and I both know that you miss Suki and all the times you spent together with her."

"Ah, it's no big deal," dismissed Sokka with a wave of his hand. "I'm not trying to get you two to stop your lovey-dovey stuff; I'm just saying that seeing you two together like this reminds me of Suki, that's all." Casting a sidelong glance at Aang, he added, "Besides, _you_ still have to talk to our Dad when we get home."

"Don't remind me…" dryly muttered Aang, crawling back towards Appa's head in order to take hold of the reins. Katara frowned as she watched her boyfriend go, sensing the fear that he took with each step.

Katara glanced down towards her necklace, placing a respectful hand on the precious trinket. Closing her eyes, she silently prayed, _Mom, I don't know if you can hear me, but if you can, help Dad to see how much Aang means to me. I want nothing more than to be with him, but Dad has a right to know what's going on in my life. Sokka's already given Aang and I his blessing; now…now we just have to get Dad's blessing. Please, Mom, please help me. Without Aang in my life, I'm so lost…please help me, Mom. I love you._

Sokka noticed his sister's quiet state, seeing her close her eyes and touch a hand to her necklace. He instantly knew what she was doing, and he allowed her to finish before he said anything. When she opened her eyes, he softly asked, "Asking Mom for help with Dad?" Katara simply nodded as she looked up at Sokka, her eyes filled with great uncertainty. Sokka smiled and placed a supportive hand on her shoulder, saying, "Everything's going to fine, Katara. You'll see."

"I really hope you're right, Sokka," sighed Katara, staring out at the frozen landscape ahead of them, icy fear gripping at her heart with jagged claws. "I really do…"

* * *

><p>After about an hour, Aang spotted a cluster of buildings down below on the ice, surrounded by a thick wall of ice. Knowing that they had reached their destination, Aang turned back to the saddle and said, "Katara! Sokka! We're here!" The siblings instantly scrambled to the front of the saddle as Aang returned his attention to flying, allowing them all to see the changes that had taken place in the small village. A collective gasp escaped the siblings' lips at the same time, their eyes widening at the sight before them.<p>

"Oh my goodness…" quietly breathed Katara in amazement, hardly believing what her eyes were seeing. The village had tripled in size since their departure a year ago, all the tents now replaced with sturdy ice domes; the entrance was marked by one side of the dome that featured a dark blue flap adorned with animal furs. Sentinel towers now occupied the tall ice wall, almost ten of them in all. In the middle of the village sat a large dome of ice, the meeting hall of the village, with a medium sized dome close by, which indicated the home of the Chief by the banner that flew above it. On the far side of the village was a long rectangular structure with an open roof and a fountain in the middle. Even from their vantage point in the sky, Katara could see that there were Waterbenders practicing in this structure.

The sight of it all seemed too much, too spectacular for it to be real…

And yet it was; her home was on its way to being restored.

Katara could feel her eyes water with sheer joy at the sight of her childhood home, her face smiling so hard that it would have split in two otherwise. Looking over at Sokka, she saw that he had a similar reaction to hers. "Sokka," she quietly said, causing him to look over at her. Still brightly smiling, Katara happily said, "We're really home."

Sokka nodded and agreeably said, "Yeah; we're really home." The two looked down to see the village getting closer to them, their animal companion angling towards the outskirts of the village in order to land. As they flew over the village, people below gasped at the sight of them, cheerily waving their greetings to the newcomers. Several children down below squealed with glee and started running towards the edge of the village where Appa was headed, followed closely by their parents.

As Appa landed and crushed the snow beneath his massive paws, the wall closest to them slid downwards into the snow. Katara instantly knew that it was Waterbending that had caused the wall to open, much like how Earthbenders opened the front gate of Omashu, and her heart swelled with immense pride at the fact that Waterbending was on its way to being restored in her tribe. They all jumped off of Appa, their feet crunching on the snow below as they landed. Soon they were mobbed by the little kids, who hugged their legs as they welcomed the three home. The kids then seemed to take an interest in Momo, who was circling above their heads, and decided to give chase to the Lemur, heading back into the village as Momo flew that way.

Several adults came out to greet the three, those knowing Katara and Sokka giving them hearty greetings. They gave respectful greetings to Aang and said that it was an honor to have him back in the South Pole, but the young Avatar insisted that they needn't be so formal with him, that he was just like all of them. Of course, the villagers kept their respectful tone, but now showed a little more casualness towards him.

A group of Waterbenders strode toward them, Pakku at their head. Walking next to him was Kanna, who was beaming with joy as she looked upon her grandchildren. Katara was the first to notice Kanna coming towards them, since she was talking to a young woman who seemed to be a couple of months into her pregnancy, and her face immediately lit up with unbridled happiness as she excitedly cried out, "Gran Gran!" Sokka immediately caught Katara's cry, his head whipping towards his sister had directed her voice. Seeing his grandmother, he broadly smiled and ran over towards her, following close behind Katara.

Kanna joyously laughed as she separated herself from Pakku, holding her arms out to receive her grandchildren. Katara and Sokka rushed into their grandmother's arms, each giving her mightily warm hugs that were firm with love but soft enough not to crush the elderly woman. "My darlings…" happily cooed Kanna, her eyes seeming to water slightly at this reunion. "Welcome home."

"We missed you so much, Gran Gran," said Katara, feeling like she had never left now that she was back in Kanna's arms. Sokka nodded his agreement, his chin resting on Kanna's shoulder.

Aang walked up to the group, keeping quiet as to not ruin the family moment, instead smiling at the heart-warming sight. Noticing Pakku walk up to him, he turned to his first Waterbending teacher and respectfully bowed, politely saying, "Master Pakku."

Pakku bowed in return and said, "Avatar Aang." It seemed so strange to Aang; when he had first met Pakku, he was nothing but his student. Now, it seemed as if Pakku were treating _him_ as the greater of the two. Coming out of their bows, Pakku said, "You've certainly come a long way since I first met you at the North Pole." Smiling, he added, "Needless to say, I know all about your victory over Fire Lord Ozai. You've truly become a great Avatar, one worthy of all the recognition and praise in the world."

"I didn't do it alone," stated Aang, noticing that Katara and Sokka were still hugging Kanna. "I had friends to help me along the way. Without them, there's no way I could have accomplished what I did."

Pakku nodded his regard. "At least you're able to acknowledge that fact, rather than letting the pride go to your head like a blasted fool." Both of them smirked at this, turning towards the others as they came out of their hug.

"I've heard of all the things that you two have done since you left home," said Kanna as she looked at her grandchildren. Proudly smiling, she said to Sokka, "I've heard that you've become a powerful warrior and a very capable swordsman."

"Well…" awkwardly said Sokka, "I kinda lost my sword when we saved the world."

"Ah," said Kanna, seeming a bit surprised. Turning towards Katara, she affectionately said, "And I've also heard of the things you've done, my little Waterbender."

"I'm not so little anymore, Gran Gran," stated Katara with a small smile. "I'm sure you've heard from Pakku how my Waterbending has improved."

"That I have," nodded Kanna, stealing a quick glance towards the Waterbending Master. "And I've also heard that you were the Avatar's Waterbending teacher."

Katara chuckled and said, "Pakku was the first one to teach Aang, but he passed on his teaching duties to me so that I could help Aang become a master at Waterbending." Looking down, Katara noticed something on Kanna's neck: a betrothal necklace. Katara's eyes widened at the sight of the trinket. "Gran Gran, is that the betrothal necklace Pakku made for you?"

Kanna followed Katara's gaze, smiling as she caught sight of what her granddaughter was looking at. "Yes it is," replied Kanna, reaching up with a hand to take hold of the stone. "Take a look," she beckoned, allowing for Katara and Sokka to lean in to better see the necklace.

The necklace consisted of a dark blue choker, and in the center was a cyan stone. Engraved on the stone was the Moon and Ocean Spirits in their mortal form, two Koi fish intertwined with one another in an eternal dance. The engraved image of Yue, the Koi fish that embodied the Moon Spirit, seemed to be interlaced with sparkling, peaceful moonlight. The engraved image of La, the Koi fish that embodied the Ocean Spirit, seemed to be imbued with the dark swirling patterns of a turbulent sea. The stone seemed to wield such beauty and magnificence that only one with a heart full of the purest love could possibly hope to carve it.

"By the Spirits…" reverently whispered Katara, stunned and amazed by the necklace that Pakku had carved for Kanna. "It's absolutely beautiful!" Looking over towards her step-grandfather, she smiled and said, "It must have taken you a long time to carve this."

"No kidding," butt in Sokka, leading Katara to elbow him in the arm for his rudeness. "Ow! What?"

"Act like you care!" growled Katara under her breath, glancing back and forth between Kanna and Pakku to make sure they didn't seem offended.

Pakku mirthfully chuckled and said, "It's all right, Katara. From what I remember, my new step-grandson has a hard time keeping his mouth shut." Sokka tried to glare at the old man, but found that he just couldn't; he _was_ his Gran-Pakku, after all. Katara, on the other hand, seemed glad of Pakku's support. Looking over towards the Avatar, Pakku added, "I believe my wife has a few words for you, Aang." The crowd around them began to dissipate, heading back to the village to go about their normal business.

Kanna walked up to Aang and said, "Thank you for looking after my beloved grandchildren on your journey, Avatar."

"Ah, it was nothing," said Aang as he rubbed the back of his head, sheepishly smiling at the elderly woman. "They were a huge help to me; if it weren't for them, I don't think I would have been able to end the War." He stole a quick glance towards Katara, who smiled and blushed slightly when his gaze fell upon her. Pakku took notice of this, his eyebrow arching in curiosity but otherwise saying nothing. Looking back at Kanna, Aang said, "They're pretty much the best friends I've ever had."

Kanna beamed with pride and sincerely said, "I'm honored that you hold my grandchildren in such high regards." She embraced Aang at that moment, much to his surprise.

Aang helplessly looked over at Katara, unsure of what to do. The Waterbender smiled and silently mouthed the words "She likes you" to Aang, indicating that he should hug Kanna back. Aang took Katara's hint and smiled, wrapping Kanna in a hug of his own. After a few moments, the two of them separated as a merry and booming voice emanated from the village:

"No one thought to say 'hi' to me?"

Everyone turned around to see Hakoda striding towards them, a jolly light shining in his sharp eyes. Katara and Sokka both gasped at the same time, their faces erupting into overjoyed smiles. "Dad!" they both cried out, running towards their father as fast as their legs could carry them. Katara and Sokka practically threw themselves into Hakoda's arms, laughing like little kids as he spun them around in an enveloping embrace.

After one spin, Hakoda set his children's feet on the ground, the three of them still wrapped up in each other's arms and laughing with all their hearts. Pakku and Kanna walked towards them with Aang close behind, though the Avatar eyed the Chief with slight nervousness. He was finally in the presence of Katara's father, the one man who could prevent him from having a future with Katara. Hakoda kissed Katara and Sokka on their heads, happily saying, "Welcome home, kids."

"It's great to be back, Dad," cheerily said Sokka with a hearty smile.

"I can't believe how much has changed," commented Katara as the three of them separated from their embrace.

"You have your step-grandfather to thank for that," stated Hakoda, nodding towards his step-father as he, Kanna, and Aang came up to them. "With the help of him and his Waterbenders, we were able to rebuild much of what had been lost in past Fire Nation raids. With their help, we've rebuilt our defensive wall, built sturdier and better homes, and even a barracks for warriors and a training academy for Waterbenders."

"Of course," pointed out Pakku, "there is still much to do before the Southern Water Tribe is returned to what it once was. With a new generation of Southern Waterbenders, however, the restoration process will certainly speed up." Looking towards Katara, he added, "I believe that you and Aang will be the ones to help train the new Waterbenders, given your respective masteries of Waterbending."

"I'm afraid we may not be able to help out that much," admitted Katara, twisting a lock of hair in her finger.

"Oh?" questioned Pakku with a raised eyebrow. "Why is that?"

Sokka stepped up and said, "We're only staying for a few weeks. Zuko-"

"The new Fire Lord, you mean?" interjected Pakku.

"Yeah," nodded Sokka. "He's letting us have time to visit all of you here, but after a few weeks, we'll have to go to the Fire Nation in order to help him."

"Well," said Kanna, "if I ever do meet this Fire Lord, I'll have to personally thank him for allowing you to take some time off."

"What exactly does the Fire Lord have in mind for you and my children, Aang?" asked Hakoda, regarding the Avatar for the first time. Katara looked over to see that Aang was timidly shifting in his place, apprehension clear on his face.

Deciding to summon up his courage, Aang took a deep breath and said, "While we were in Ba Sing Se, we discussed several plans with Earth King Kuei. One of them included something we call the Harmony Restoration Movement, which will help to peacefully remove Fire Nation colonies from the Earth Kingdom and return those towns to the Earth Kingdom. Right now, Zuko's trying to find a way to get the colonies to agree with this plan; things will get underway once we join him in the Fire Nation."

"A sound plan," commended Hakoda, though his demeanor was slightly perplexed when he noticed how fidgety Aang was under his gaze. "Is something wrong, Aang? You seem deathly nervous about something." Aang's face paled, his eyes wide with fear as he slowly looked over at Katara. Hakoda followed Aang's gaze until he found that it landed on Katara, who timidly looked up at her father with anxiety. Seeming to pick up on some sort of hidden secret between the two, he suspiciously asked, "Is there something you're not telling me, sweetie?"

Katara bit her lip, knowing that the time for secrecy was over. Digging the tip of her shoe into the snow, she shyly folded her hands behind her back and looked up at Hakoda much like she had when she got into trouble as a child: the sort of look that pleaded her innocence and yet knew that she had done something that her father may not have approved of. "Yeah, um…there _is _something I have to tell you, Dad, but…um, it's kind of like this-"

"Aang and Katara are dating," deadpanned Sokka, making up for Katara's skirting of the issue with his bluntness. Aang instantly stiffened, emitting a frightened yelp as his face flushed all over. Pakku's eyes widened, and Kanna let out a startled gasp. Katara grimaced, as if Sokka's words had stabbed her in the heart, twisting the blade in even further as she saw Hakoda's eyes drift over towards Aang. The Chief's eyes narrowed, much like how an Artic Wolf does when it sizes up its prey, steely blue irises cutting deep into Aang's scared soul.

"Sokka!" growled Katara through gritted teeth, fuming that he had just dropped the secret for all to hear.

"What?" defensively asked Sokka, shrugging his arms upward. "It's obvious you weren't going to be the one to break the news to him, so I decided to gently break it to him for you."

"_Gently?_" seethed Katara, her face flushed with irritation and embarrassment. "More like tossed it out the window and into the street! And I _was_ going to tell him, but-"

"Is this true?" firmly asked Hakoda, his gaze unwavering as he stared Aang down. The Avatar wished he could bury himself under three hundred feet of snow just to escape the Chief's piercing eyes, which were full of an instinctual light, one that pertained to the defending of his offspring.

Katara's anger at Sokka quickly faded as she sheepishly looked up at her father, unnerved by the sternness he bore on his visage. "Dad, I can explain-"

"_Is this true?_" asked Hakoda again, the weight of his commanding voice bearing down on her young shoulders unlike anything else in the world.

Katara cowed under the authoritative power her father held over her, shrinking back as she meekly murmured, "Yes, Daddy…" Sokka was a bit surprised; she hadn't called their father 'Daddy' since they were little kids. Actually, it had all started when Katara had first learned to talk; whenever she saw Sokka get in trouble, he was the one who called Hakoda 'Daddy'. As a result, she learned that the only time she called Dad 'Daddy' was when she was in trouble. As her language became more proficient, she and Sokka had only referred to Hakoda as 'Dad' and, occasionally, 'Father'. She never called Hakoda 'Daddy' unless she was genuinely afraid of him, which almost never happened, and when she did she knew that she wanted to get their father back in her good graces.

"I see," astutely mused Hakoda, his eyes still narrowed like a hunter of the artic night. Without taking his eyes off Aang, Hakoda said, "Sokka, watch your sister." Narrowing his eyes even further, he added, "I'm going to have a little one-on-one talk with Aang." The Avatar nervously gulped, but remained where he was.

"Yes sir," said Sokka, taking his place over by Katara's side. His sister nervously glanced over at him, helplessness shining in her wavering eyes. Sokka gave her a sympathetic look and took hold of her hand, gently squeezing it to assure her that he was there for her. She was shaking so much that Sokka just _knew_ that she was majorly freaking out.

Hakoda now turned to Katara and said in a tone that most fathers possessed, "As for you, young lady, I'll talk to you once I'm done with Aang."

"Yes, Daddy…" murmured Katara again, her heart frenziedly beating with uncontrolled fear.

Looking back towards Aang, Hakoda said in a commanding voice, "Young man, follow me." Aang obediently nodded to show that he was willing to comply. Satisfied, Hakoda turned and began to make his way back to the village, with Aang close behind him.

As Aang passed by Katara, he looked over at her. There was so much anxiety and uncertainty on her face that it made his heart twinge with stinging pain. He offered her a supportive smile, as if to say "Don't worry. Everything will be fine." She gave him a small smile in return, but her fear was too great for her to hold it any longer than a few seconds. Aang returned his attention to following Hakoda, taking in a shaky breath as the two of them neared the village walls.

The next minute or so seemed like a blur to Aang; the only thing he could think about was Katara. She looked so scared and afraid that the image of her was imprinted in his mind as he let his feet walk out of their own volition. The next thing he knew, he was standing at the entrance of Hakoda's home. "Please, come in," gently ordered Hakoda, though the firmness behind his tone betrayed any conveyance of politeness.

Aang did as he was told, ducking through the flap and entering the Chief's home. Once inside, Aang could see that the home itself was very modest: an animal skin (one of a creature that Aang couldn't recognize) adorned the floor of the home, a pair of leather couches were arranged around the center, countless other furs and the occasional weapon decorated the curved walls, circular windows at the center of the walls allowed for a view of the outside, three beds were set off to the right behind a low ice wall with a kitchen off to the left with its own wall. All in all, it was enough room for the Chief and his family to comfortably live with only the bare necessities.

"Stand there," ordered Hakoda, pointing to the animal skin in the middle of the floor. Aang followed Hakoda's instructions, standing on the skin and turning himself towards the Chief so that their eyes would meet no matter where Hakoda stood. The Chief made his way over to the window opposite Aang, letting his hand lean against the wall while his other hand rested on his hip, his piercing eyes turning towards the outside world. Aang patiently waited for Hakoda to say something, though the young Avatar did fidget a little in his place when the Chief didn't say anything for a few minutes.

What Aang couldn't see was what Hakoda was looking at outside of his window: Katara. The Chief could see, through a line of houses, his daughter and the rest of his family slowly making their way towards the village. Hakoda could see that Katara bore an extremely worried expression on her face, one that made him sigh with uneasiness. He hated to his daughter so frightened like she was now, but this was something he _had _to do; he was her father after all, and a father had to do his duty. Without looking over at Aang, he asked, "How long?"

Aang was a bit confused by the question. "Um…how long what, sir?" He wanted to sound as respectful as possible in order to make a good impression on Hakoda.

"How long have you and my daughter been together?" Aang acknowledged the fact that Hakoda hadn't called Katara by her name, but rather what she was: _his _daughter, _his _offspring. It was if Hakoda were claiming her in a way that Aang never could.

"About a week or so, sir," answered Aang, trying to sound calm to convey the impression that he was under control when, in fact, he was about ready to bolt out of the house from sheer fright. "Back when we were in Ba Sing Se."

"Hmm," hummed Hakoda as he nodded, his sharp eyes still focused on the outside world. "And I take it the rest of your friends know about this?"

"Yes," replied Aang, knowing that trying to be subtle in this kind of situation would only back-fire on him. "They were all there when Katara and I decided to be in a relationship."

"Who was the first to find out?" inquired Hakoda, watching as Katara and the others as he spoke. Even from his vantage point, he could see Sokka wipe away what seemed to be a tear from Katara's cheek. Hakoda instantly felt guilt shoot through his blood like the fire that had claimed his wife; he never intended to make his beloved daughter cry.

"Sokka," simply answered Aang. For the first time, Hakoda looked over at Aang, his eyes slightly widened with surprise.

"Really?" asked Hakoda, turning more towards Aang in order to fully face him.

"Yeah," nodded Aang. His cheeks began to burn as he remembered that spectacular, soul-wrapping kiss that he and Katara had shared out on that balcony. Even now, he could still feel her lips on his, pouring all of her love into his being. "He, uh…actually found the two of us kissing outside _The Jasmine Dragon_." Hakoda's surprised demeanor instantly morphed into one of hardness and sternness, his hunter-like eyes narrowing once more as he glared at the Avatar.

"So you two have already gone that far?" asked Hakoda, a hint of slight accusation in his warrior voice. Aang's face flushed so fiercely hot that he was convinced that the Chief's home would melt around them.

Trying to control the unintentional Firebending on his cheeks, Aang shakily said, "Y-Yes, sir. We've, uh…we've kissed." Hakoda kept his vigilance over Aang, making him feel more like a prisoner of war than the almighty Avatar.

"I would hope, for your sake," firmly stated Hakoda, "that you and Katara have not taken your feelings of affection to a more…_intimate _level." Aang's eyes went wide with mortification as his blush consumed his entire face, coloring the arrow on his head a dark blue from the red tinge that engulfed it.

"No," hastily replied Aang as he shook his head, knowing exactly what Hakoda was talking about. "We've never, _ever _considered going that far." Hakoda's threatening eyes softened slightly, returning to their normal size but losing none of their patriarchal power.

Hakoda sighed his relief and said, "Thank the Spirits that the two of you have the sense to not take things that far."

"Hakoda," said Aang, deciding to take the offensive for once, "I respect your daughter far too much to use her as a tool for my pleasure."

"I should hope so," warned Hakoda, "otherwise I'd lose all respect for you." He paused, carefully looking over Aang as if to find something else to scrutinize. "When did Katara first find out about your feelings for her?"

Aang gulped, nervous sweat beading his brow. "The Day of Black Sun." Hakoda's eyebrow raised in a questioning manner, as if to indicate Aang to explain himself. Gesturing to the Chief, Aang said, "After you had given the order to submerge, Katara and I stayed on the upper deck. We talked for a bit, since we didn't know how the Invasion would turn out. I told her that I was afraid that I wouldn't come back from my fight with Fire Lord Ozai. She told me that I would, but…"

"But what?" asked Hakoda, his eyes silently egging Aang to continue his story.

Aang looked down to his right, his face timid under Hakoda's gaze. Cheeks tingeing red, Aang said, "She didn't know how I felt about her. Back during our trip to the North Pole, I realized that I had a huge crush on her. Over time, that crush turned into something much deeper than I had ever thought possible. I had tried several times both before the North Pole and even in the Earth Kingdom to tell her how I felt about her, but I just couldn't…I wanted that to change this time around." Looking back at Hakoda, he said, "The very thought of me not coming back to Katara gave me the courage to show her how I felt about her through the only way I knew how: I kissed her."

Silence ensued as Hakoda unflinchingly stared at Aang, the air around them thick with tension. Finally, Hakoda thoughtfully rubbed his chin with his hand and said, "I see…so _that's _why Katara seemed to have something on her mind at the time of the Invasion."

"Yeah," nervously chuckled Aang as he rubbed the back of his head, as if the awkwardness of the conversation was making him itch. "She was pretty surprised when I kissed her."

Hakoda straightened up, taking back on his firm tone as he asked, "Did you ever try to kiss her like that again before the end of the War?"

Aang's face fell along with his arm, his eyes mournfully looking down at the animal skin beneath the soles of his shoes. "Once…" he murmured, his heart heavy with the burdening memory. "Back on Ember Island, we saw this play about our journey around the world." Emotionlessly smirking, he added, "Needless to say, it was pretty bad. However…" He wearily sighed. "There was one part of the play where it showed Zuko and Katara imprisoned together in Ba Sing Se. The actors playing them made it seem like they had an interest in each other. The actress playing Katara said that she only thought of me as a brother and nothing more…"

Seeing that Aang was being pained by the memory, Hakoda took pity on the boy and kindly said, "You don't have to tell me, Aang."

"No, you deserve to know," insisted Aang as he looked up. "Because the play was based off of all the things that we've done, I thought that Katara really didn't feel the same way I did about her. I just couldn't take the thought of that, so I left our seats and went outside to think. After a while, Katara came out to check on me. I told her that I hated everything about the play; all the Fire Nation citizens in there cheered when the person playing me fell in Ba Sing Se!" Aang quickly regained his composure before he continued. "After a bit, I talked to her about what happened at the Invasion, the kiss we shared. I thought we should have been together already because of that, but Katara said we couldn't because of the War and because she was confused."

"You put her in a very precarious position," observed Hakoda.

Aang shrugged as he said, "I didn't realize that until after she ran off."

"Because you kissed her again that night?"

"Yeah," Aang nodded. "I know I should have been more sensitive to her needs at the time, but I wasn't thinking straight. I never would have thought that the _real_ reason she was confused was because she cared about me, and didn't want her heart to get hurt again if I died during the day of the Comet. Then, when I was fighting Fire Lord Ozai, all I thought about was her. Just the very thought of her gave me the strength to fight on and save the world."

Hakoda seemed to take Aang's words into consideration as he moved towards the window again, making sure his family was alright. He saw Katara wrapped up in Sokka's arms, her face laden with uncertain fear and restrained sorrow. Kanna was patting her back, words of assurance flowing from her mouth to Katara's ears. Pakku was kneeling in front of Katara, tenderly holding her hands as he offered his comfort to his step-granddaughter.

Hakoda could read the pain that Katara bore on her face, the ripping and tearing that her heart was going through thinking of what he, her father, would do concerning her future with Aang. Sighing once more, he turned to Aang and asked a simple, and yet impossibly complex, question:

"Do you love Katara?"

"Yes," replied Aang without hesitation, absolute certainty in his young voice.

Hakoda was impressed by Aang's immediate answer, knowing that he meant it. However, a simple affirmative word was not enough for the Chief. "Why?" asked Hakoda as he turned towards Aang. "_Why_ do you love my daughter?"

Aang took a moment to think, trying to gather up all of his feelings and emotional connections for Katara and packaging them into words so that Hakoda would understand. "Katara…she means the world to me. The first day I met her, the day she broke me out of the iceberg, I thought that she was an absolute angel. I guess you could say that my crush on her started that day, only to resurface even stronger later on. She's always been there for me when I needed her the most; she's the one who always gave me the strength to keep going when I felt like giving up."

"I love everything about her: her smile, her laughter, the way she moves when she Waterbends, the way the moon glows on her skin and makes her eyes sparkle with starlight, her strength, kindness, compassion, sincerity, sweetness, loyalty, tenderness…_everything_. I completely and totally love her for who she is: all of her strengths and faults, her triumphs and failures, her loves and fears." The force of his love for Katara caused his eyes to water with tears, a soft smile coming to his lips as he imagined her in his arms. "Without her, I…I don't think I could possibly go on without her. No one knows me like she does; she _always_ makes me smile, no matter what."

Hakoda was stunned to hear such sincere and honest words flow from Aang's mouth as easily as river of truthfulness. Every word that Aang spoke came straight from his soul, the deepest core of his young being. It was if the entire Avatar Spirit was in love with Katara, and it all manifested into this one boy, adding his own love to the vast well of affectionate feelings for his daughter, making it shine brighter than even the full moon and all the stars in the heavens.

Feeling himself shudder, Aang gathered himself up and wiped away his tears, not wanting to appear weak in front of a man that he admired. Taking in a shaky breath, Aang said, "I know you're probably angry at me for going behind your back like this and dating Katara without your permission." He fell to knees, the fur below him digging into his knees, bowing his head in reverent respect and closing his eyes as he said, "I understand if you choose to not give me your blessing; I'll respect your wishes and break off my relationship with Katara. Because of the immense respect I have for her, I also respect you in the same way. Even if you don't give me your blessing, I'll still love her…I hope you can truly see how much Katara means to me."

Hakoda looked upon Aang for several moments, weighing the value of Aang's words in his mind. He walked up to the kneeling Avatar and stooped down in front of him, placing a firm yet gentle hand on his shoulder. Aang looked up at Hakoda with tear-filled eyes, as if he had already convinced himself that his efforts were for naught. Hakoda kindly smiled at Aang and truthfully said, "Aang, you are truly unlike any man I've ever met in my entire life; even though you bear the unlimited power of the Avatar, you have the heart of an honest and sincere young man. I've listened to how you feel about my daughter, and I can tell that you meant each and every single word with great pride and unconditional love."

"You've always looked after my children, and for that I thank you. If anything were to happen to them…well, it would be even worse than when I lost my wife to the Fire Nation." A sad and melancholy light filled the Chief's eyes, remembering that horrid day. "Katara is just like her beloved mother in every way, and that's why I feel very protective of her. While she may be a Master Waterbender, she's still just a young girl; her heart can still be broken by those she keeps close to her. However, after listening to your words, I know for certain that you would never take her for granted."

"No, I wouldn't," affirmed Aang as he shook his head, causing a couple of tears to stream down his face. "She means way too much to me to just toss her aside."

"I can see that," assured Hakoda, "and that's why I'm giving my total blessing for you two to be together." Even as Aang joyously smiled, Hakoda held up a finger. "But", he sternly stated, "if you ever, and I mean _ever_, break my little girl's heart, I swear I'll make you regret it even into your next life. If you _ever_ hurt Katara in any way, consider me your new enemy, one that would even more fearsome and deadly than Ozai ever was." Aang's smile fell, a look of horror coming across his face as he inwardly shuddered at the thought of Hakoda becoming his enemy. "Do I make myself clear, young man?"

"Crystal, sir" quickly assured Aang with wide eyes, swallowing what tasted like bile down his throat as he nervously gulped.

Satisfied with Aang's response, Hakoda merrily laughed and drew Aang into a hearty embrace, cheerily saying, "Then welcome to the family, Avatar Aang." After a few seconds and a friendly pat on the back, Hakoda separated himself from Aang, chuckling at the sight of Aang's pale face. "Don't you worry about me, son. Just keep Katara happy and smiling, and we'll get along just fine."

Aang seemed to recover at that moment, broadly smiling at Hakoda with uncontained happiness. "I can't tell you how grateful I am that you approve of me being with Katara."

"Ah, don't worry about it," dismissed Hakoda with a wave of his hand before he got to his feet, Aang standing up along with him. "You've made it extremely clear to me how much you care about Katara, so I was only glad to give you my blessing. Plus, knowing how my daughter puts her whole heart into everything she cares about, I know she loves you just as much. However…" Looking towards the window, he added, "I'm not sure how my daughter's holding up with you in here with me."

"What do you mean?" asked Aang, having not seen Katara's state of unrest during his talk with Hakoda.

Turning back to Aang, Hakoda said, "I could see her and the others out of that window. From what I can tell, she looked pretty upset and worried about you." Seeing Aang's pained expression, knowing that he was thinking about his girlfriend's condition, Hakoda assured him by saying, "We'll talk to her together, alright?"

Aang seemed a bit surprised by Hakoda's statement. "But I thought you wanted to talk to her alone?"

Hakoda wistfully smirked and said, "Yes, but I thought that her new boyfriend should be present when I give her my blessing to be with you." Aang's face lit up at the prospect of being there when Katara's face would light up with such uncontained joy at properly being with him. "Just be sure not to spoil the surprise," playfully warned Hakoda, making his ways towards the entrance of the house. Holding the flap open, he said, "If you're smiling when she sees you, she'll see right through my plan."

Aang frowned slightly as he walked over towards Hakoda and said, "I don't want to feel like I'm lying to her, though."

Hakoda sympathetically smiled and said, "As long as you hold her in your heart, you could never bring yourself to lie to her about anything." Clearing his face of emotion, Hakoda asked, "Are you ready?"

Aang smirked and said in reply, "When it comes to Katara, I'm always ready." Dropping the smirk off of his face and adopting a somewhat downtrodden expression, the two of them made their way out of the dome house. Seeing Hakoda go off to the right, Aang followed close behind the Chief. About a few buildings down, he could see Katara with the others. His heart instantly grimaced with instinctual pain as he saw Katara, who was looking very distraught indeed. The crunching of their feet on the snow reached her ears, causing her to instantly look towards them. As soon as her eyes hit his, Aang looked away, allowing a sullen frown to come over himself.

Sokka noticed Katara looking up towards the newcomers, while Pakku and Kanna also took note. As Hakoda drew ever nearer, the three of them left Katara's side, but stood close by for support. Katara remained where she was sitting, looking back and forth between Hakoda and Aang for any sign that things were alright. Hakoda stopped in front of his daughter and kneeled down, tenderly taking her young hands into his calloused hands. Aang stood just behind him, arms folded behind his back and eyes fixated on the snow. Assuming the worst, Katara looked at her father with dreadful eyes.

Taking in a deep breath, Hakoda said, "Katara sweetie, you know I've always looked out for you your entire life. I've watched you grow up into the fine young woman you are today, and I simply can't help but feel so very proud of my little girl. Yes, I've realized that you're growing up and that things are very much different for you now: you're a Master Waterbender, hero of the Hundred Year War and Aang's Waterbending teacher. You've become strong and resilient, yet you've always keep that same kindness and compassion that your mother passed on to you. But I've also realized one thing…" Smiling, Hakoda happily said, "You've found someone who loves you for who you are."

Katara's eyes widened a bit in surprise, looking over at Aang for any sort of indication as to what Hakoda was talking about. Allowing a small smirk to play at his lips, Aang gave her a slight wink. Katara's jaw dropped slightly, which quickly spread into a joyous, open-mouthed smile as she happily looked back at her father. Chuckling at her giddy expression, knowing that Aang had given her some sort of indication as to what was going on (though he wasn't mad about it; rather, it played perfectly into his plan), Hakoda proudly said, "Katara, you've found yourself a fine young man to call your own, and that's why I'm giving you my blessing-"

Before he could even finish, Katara cried out with joy and fiercely hugged her father, exuberantly proclaiming, "Thank you, Dad! Thank you, thank you, _thank you!_" Realizing that her father never got the chance to finish, she immediately let go of him, timidly smiling at him as she blushed. "Sorry. Go ahead."

Merrily chuckling, Hakoda said, "As I was saying, I'm willing to give you my full blessing to be with Aang." He quickly raised a finger and said, "But first, I have to talk to you." Katara smiled and nodded, much to Hakoda's relief, and he dropped his finger. Taking on a serious tone, he said, "You do realize what you're getting yourself into by dating Aang, right?"

"Of course I do, Dad," sincerely replied Katara. Lovingly smiling at Aang, she warmly added, "I completely love Aang, and I want nothing more than to be with him." Aang brightly smiled back at her, touched by her words. Looking back at her father, Katara said, "I know from my journey with Aang that the world is going to be depending on him a lot, since he's the Avatar and what not."

"So you understand that Aang might not be around you all the time like he has been in the past?" asked Hakoda, impressed that Katara was so knowledgeable in the ways of the world. She certainly had changed, and most definitely for the better.

"Yeah," nodded Katara in reply. "I already know that he'll probably have a lot of meetings to attend about the Harmony Restoration Movement once we get to the Fire Nation, not to mention peace negotiations." She secretly despised the fact that she had to share Aang with the world, but she swallowed her pride for the greater good and knew in her heart that she had to share Aang, no matter how much she disliked it. Besides, whenever Aang wasn't busy, he would be all hers, and it was moments like those that Katara immensely looked forward to.

Hakoda thoughtfully hummed, satisfied with Katara's response. "And you also realize that there's another danger to you dating Aang?" Seeing Katara's perplexed expression, Hakoda said, "There will be a lot of young women out there who will want to steal Aang away from you."

"But I'd never be unfaithful to Katara," protested Aang, causing both Hakoda and Katara to look over at him. "There's no way I'd ever fall for any girl other than her." Katara appreciatively smiled at Aang's words and blushed.

"The heart is a fickle thing, Aang," warned Hakoda, "but you're right: I know for certain that you'd never cheat on Katara." Nodding towards Katara, he added, "And I know you'd never cheat on Aang with any other man." Seeing her affirmative nod, he looked back at Aang. "Of course, the women who will try to seduce you are only concerned about the power and prestige that you'll bring them."

Looking over at Katara, he added, "Dating the Avatar is not an easy thing, Katara; almost every girl in the entire world is going to be after your boyfriend, and they'll do whatever it takes to win him to their side. That being said" – he motioned to both Aang and Katara – "you two have to be completely open and honest with one another. If you feel like there's someone or something that's trying to ruin your relationship, talk to each other about it. A lasting relationship is built on trust, honesty, respect, and openness."

"We've always been open with one another," stated Katara, remembering all the secrets that she and Aang had exchanged in the past, secrets that no one else but they would ever know about.

"Then strengthen your openness with each other even more," advised Hakoda, looking back towards Katara. "Lies will only drive the two of you apart and destroy any feelings that you hold for each other now." Thinking of something else, he added, "And Katara, if Aang finds himself surrounded by girls and can't get away from them even if he wants to, don't get too jealous of him." Giving her a smirk, he said, "But I'm sure you've had some experiences in the past where girls were practically flinging themselves at Aang."

"Like Kyoshi Island," muttered Katara under her breath, eliciting a reminiscent chuckle from Aang. Seeing her father's confused expression, she dismissively waved her hand and said, "I'll tell you later."

Deciding to move on with conversation, Hakoda looked towards Aang and said, "Same goes for you with Katara." Aang nodded his reply, understanding what Hakoda meant. Smiling, the Chief looked back at Katara and said, "That's all I have to say for now. If you two ever need help, just talk to anyone in the family." Katara cheerily smiled and nodded, knowing that she and Aang would do just that should trouble arise. Hakoda kissed her forehead and said, "Katara, my beloved daughter, you have my total blessing to be with Aang." Standing up as Katara gratefully smiled, Hakoda gestured towards his daughter's new boyfriend and happily said, "He's all yours, sweetie."

Katara sprang up from her seat and rushed over to Aang, throwing her arms around his shoulders and melding her lips against his. Aang smiled against her as he earnestly returned the kiss, wrapping his arms around her, bringing her ever closer to his heart. Kanna happily sighed and leaned against Pakku, who wrapped an arm around her as he smiled at the young love before them.

Sokka, on the other hand, was dramatically writhing on the ground, complaining that he was having an "oogie attack". Hakoda gave his first-born son a strange and slightly confused look before he turned his gaze back to his daughter, who was still enveloped in Aang's arms as the couple rocked back and forth in their young love.

_If only you could see our daughter now, Kya,_ the Chief silently told his departed wife, knowing that she could hear him even in the Spirit World. _How happy you would be… _he added with a teary smile, imagining Kya standing next to him, his arm wrapped around her as she happily cried at the sight of her precious daughter finding love.

* * *

><p>AUTHOR'S NOTE:<p>

Remember my advice, my loyal readers:

_**BUY THE BOOK, AND SUPPORT THE WORK OF THE PEOPLE WHO STRIVE SO HARD TO BRING THIS INCREDIBLE STORY TO US.**_


	7. Mother Knows Best

Huzzah! Another chapter of my super awesome story! :D Anyways, I'd like to thank all of those who are so faithfully following this story in anticipation of the upcoming graphic novel. I can't even begin to thank you all for your support. :) All right, this is the last chapter that we'll see Aang and Katara for a while, but before we move on I thought I'd bring you this nice little idea that was inspired by a thought from **Assassin's Creed superfan**. He brought to my attention this idea last chapter, so I decided to incorporate it now. I'd like to give credit to **Assassin's Creed superfan** for giving me this idea to work with. You rock, dude. :) Anyways, on with the story! Enjoy and review! :D

Sadly, I've decided to discontinue my two stories "A Lifetime of Love" and "The River of Hatred Flows Deep in the Heart" due to lack of inspiration. Maybe one day I'll get back to those stories, but I highly doubt it. I'd like to thank all of those who did read and enjoy those stories, and I'm sorry that I had to end them so soon. Again, thanks to all who read those stories.

**DISCLAIMER:** I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender. The show and its characters belong to Mike and Bryan, the brillant geniuses behind one of the greatest cartoon shows in the history of cartoons. Their work is legendary, and I salute them for it. I also do not own "The Promise" story, which is written by Gene Yang, and is also the property of Mike and Bryan. I am simply help to spread the news of the upcoming story and do not take any responsibilty for the development of the story itself; I am only going off of what is known thus far.

**Mother Knows Best**

_Aang blinked as he looked around, seeing nothing but ice-capped mountains on the far dark horizon, intangible titans of earth that one could hold in the palm of one's hand. Fresh snow crunched under his feet as he walked, compacting and hardening with each step he took through the shadowy night of this frozen wasteland._

_"Where am I?" Aang said to himself, his voice echoing slightly as it carried on the icy wind, flying towards the distant mountains with unimaginable speed. He stopped walking, sinking slightly as the snow beneath him compacted, and took another look around. "Well," he said to himself, "I'm, uh…somewhere cold. Yeah, definitely somewhere cold, in the middle of the night, it seems…"_

_He suddenly thought of something at the moment, something he should have tried before. Taking a stance, drawing his closed fists down to his waist, the Avatar took a deep breath, the frigid air filling his lungs and making him shiver slightly from the cold, his Master Airbender robes shifting slightly as his body shivered. He lifted his right foot up, planting it firmly on the snow as he widened himself to a horse stance, punching forward with his right fist as he directed his energy into his fist, willing fire to burst forth from his skin._

_Nothing._

_Aang blinked his confusion, then tried another tactic. He spun around on his right foot, bringing his left foot up and around in a roundhouse kick, once again willing fire to burst out of his body and into the dark night, hoping to illuminate the frozen twilight around him with vivacious flames._

_Nothing._

_Standing upright again, disappointedly sighing due to his inability to bend, Aang said, "I guess this means that I'm in the Spirit World, since I can't bend at all." Looking off at the mountains, he confusedly asked, "But why I am in the Spirit World?"_

_"I believe I can answer that, Avatar," said a kind, melodic voice from behind him. Aang whipped around to see a woman standing behind him. She was wearing a dark blue parka, the hood outlined with pure white fur, her dark brown hair curdled up into a kempt bun. Her skin was a soft copper, forged in the loving flames of compassion, and her eyes were a startling sapphire, sparkling in the darkness around them. Her face was gentle and caring, a warm and affectionate smile gracing her beautiful features, making Aang feel utterly lost in her angelic presence._

_While he was surprised that the woman knew who he was, he had absolutely no idea who she was. "Um…do I _know_ you, ma'am?" The woman amusedly chuckled, a soft and heart-warming sound that filled Aang up completely, making him feel safe and secure with her despite the fact that he didn't know she was._

_"In a way, Avatar, you do know who I am," replied the woman, reaching up towards her collar and pulling it down slightly. Aang looked to see where the woman had pulled down her collar, seeing something glisten against her skin. He narrowed his eyes, trying to better see what she was wearing on her neck. What he saw was a dark blue choker, upon which was set a light blue stone with a familiar engraving on it: the symbol of Waterbending, three waves cresting over an undulating ocean._

_Aang's eyes widened, his mouth dropped open in astonishment as he looked back up at the woman, who had let go of her collar as Aang looked back up. Why hadn't he recognized her before? That loving, motherly look in her eyes; that gentle, amused smile that spoke of great pride and unconditional affection; that twinkle in her eyes that had seen many life-changing things, milestones that had made those eyes sparkle like the starry veil of a full moon night._

_"You're Katara's mother," he said with amazement, hardly believing what he was seeing in front of him. "You're Kya."_

_Kya's smile grew larger, obviously pleased that Aang had recognized who she was. "Yes, Avatar; I am Kya, beloved wife of Chief Hakoda and loving mother of both Sokka and Katara." Respectfully bowing to Aang, she added, "It's an honor to be in your presence, Avatar Aang, hero of the Hundred Year War."_

_As Kya came out of her bow, Aang perplexedly raised an eyebrow and asked, "Just how do you know who I am?"_

_"When you've been in the Spirit World for as long as I have," replied Kya, "you tend to learn a lot of things." Aang could have sworn that an apparition appeared behind Kya at the moment, though the woman seemed to take no notice of the snow that was whipping up behind her. Through the swirling snow, Aang thought he saw Avatar Roku, standing over Kya like a silent guardian. Looking over her shoulder, Kya smiled and said, "Avatar Roku has been my guide here in the Spirit World ever since I died."_

_"But that doesn't explain what I'm doing here with you right now," retorted Aang, still very much lost about what was going on as the apparition of Roku dissipated into the wind. Why was he in the Spirit World talking to Katara's dead mother? Why had Avatar Roku guided Kya around the Spirit World for the last six years? Why hadn't Roku said anything to him about knowing Kya?_

_Looking back at Aang, Kya said, "You're in the middle of a dream right now. Avatar Roku pulled you into the Spirit World while you slept so that I could talk to you."_

_"But why would you need to talk to me?" asked Aang, who was seriously hoping that he would get some answers soon. Just the very idea of him meeting Kya, the mother of the girl he loved with all of his heart, seemed so impossible and inconceivable that it made him feel confused and flabbergasted._

_"If I'm correct in saying this," slyly said Kya, her voice full of mischief, "I believe that you're dating my daughter." Aang's eyes widened in surprise, his cheeks flushing crimson from embarrassment and astonishment, his heart leaping up into his throat and almost causing him to cough._

_Clearing his throat, Aang anxiously tugged at the edge of his collar, trying to relieve his body from its discomfort as he nervously said, "Well, um…yeah, I-I'm d-dating Katara." Kya chuckled once more, obviously amused with Aang's flustered state._

_"You don't have to look so scared, Aang," playfully chuckled Kya. "I'm not here to berate you for dating my precious little angel."_

_"Oh good," breathed Aang with a sigh of relief, his shoulders slumping as he exhaled a gratified sigh. Nervously chuckling, he added, "After the talk I had with Hakoda, I was hoping not to be interrogated anymore about my relationship with Katara."_

_"My husband was doing what he thought was best," said Kya, her eyes shining with fondness at the mention of her beloved Hakoda, the man who had meant everything to her when she was alive. "His methods may seem intimidating and overbearing, but he's a kind and loving man who wants nothing but the best for his family, including his children."_

_"Yeah," agreed Aang, "he's especially protective of Katara."_

_Kya softly smiled and said, "Yes, he certainly is. She's brought so much joy into our lives, especially on the day we discovered that she was a Waterbender." Letting off a soft chuckle, she added, "The day she discovered her Waterbending abilities, she accidentally buried Sokka under a pile of snow in the outhouse of the village after he teased her."_

_"I can totally see that happening," mirthfully said Aang, feeling very much at ease in Kya's presence. Being around Kya was like being next to a warm fireplace: a hearth of fondness and affection that filled his soul with joy and happiness, making him feel completely and utterly safe._

_"Tell me, Aang," thoughtfully said Kya, "do you love Katara?" Aang was a bit surprised by the departed woman's forwardness, but he knew that their conversation would have led to this point anyway. At least he wasn't in the Chief's home, surrounded by the numerous weapons that adorned the walls, otherwise he would have felt _very_ uncomfortable at the moment. Though he wasn't sure why he was worried; the tone in Kya's voice wasn't threatening or oppressive, just concerned and interested in what Aang had to say._

_Taking a deep breath, cleansing his insides with refreshing air, Aang said, "With all of my heart, Kya. I love Katara completely, and there's absolutely no way I could ever give her up. She means everything to me, and I'll do anything to make sure she's safe and happy. Without her in my life…well, my life's just not worth living without her in it." He warmly smiled, loving tears filling his eyes as he imagined Katara next to him, her tender fingers interlaced with his._

_Kya likewise smiled and approvingly said, "Your words are sincere and true, Avatar Aang." Touching a hand to her necklace, she added, "This necklace that I bear here in the Spirit World is my link to Katara in the mortal world. Every time she experiences an emotion, I can feel what her heart is going through." Dropping her hand and walking towards Aang, she added, "For the last six years, I've felt everything her heart has gone through: pain, sadness, despair, hope, joy, confusion, uncertainty, sorrow, gladness, agony, hatred, forgiveness, and relief."_

_She stopped just in front of Aang, within arm's length, and said, "And now I've experienced the love she holds for you in her heart." Taking Aang's face in her hands, her motherly hands affectionately cupping his cheeks, she smiled and said, "I know how much you mean to her, how much she wants and needs you in her life. Never let go of her, Aang; always keep her in your heart for as long as you live."_

_"I couldn't let go of her if even if I tried," assured Aang with a sincere smile, meaning each and every word that he said. Even when he had been mastering the Avatar State with Guru Pathik, he had chosen happiness with Katara over the power the mastered Avatar State would bring him. Nothing in the world could compare to the place that he held in his heart for Katara; nothing could ever forcibly remove his Forever Girl from his mind, for she was always on it._

_"Then go forth with my blessing, Avatar Aang," proudly said Kya, kissing Aang upon his forehead, tender lips caressing his head arrow. Aang felt a surge of energy shoot through his body, as if a part of Kya's being had suffused itself inside of him. Smiling down at him, Kya said, "Know that I will always be watching over you and my daughter, and know that I am eternally grateful for making my precious little angel smile again." As Kya began to disappear, her form becoming transparent, she said, "You're a wonderful young man, Aang, and I can't imagine anyone in the entire world who loves Katara as you do. Never leave her, Aang; she needs you more than you'll ever know…"_

_And with that final, ghosting sentence, Kya disappeared into the ethereal night, leaving Aang in the frozen wasteland with a blazing heart of gladness. Aang couldn't believe it; he had not only gotten a blessing from Hakoda, but from Kya as well. In a way, it was sort of sad, since Katara might never see her mother like Aang had just now, but it was also very touching that one who was so important in Katara's life was glad that he loved Katara in the way he did and was glad that they were together._

_Suddenly, a booming, ancient voice echoed across the plane, gravel upon ice as the voice of Avatar Roku said, "Awaken now, Aang, and rejoin the world of the living."_

Aang's eyes shot open, darkness and ice filling his vision. He sat up in his cot, his blankets ruffling slightly against his parka as he moved, and looked around the Chief's home. Hakoda and Sokka were off to his right, their bodies lightly rising and falling as they slept. Aang looked over to his left to see Katara sleeping in a cot next to him, her face towards him and her hair billowing over her shoulder. Their cots were only a few inches apart, allowing just enough space for them to sleep close by one another without actually sharing the same bed.

Aang smiled as he watched Katara sleep, letting his hand drift over to her face so that he could tenderly stroke her cheek with his gentle fingers. Her smooth skin felt like precious silk under his fingers, rubbing up against his skin with loving care. Taking his hand from her cheek, Aang quietly got up out of his cot, being careful not to wake the others. He made his way to the door flap, stealthily slipping through it without so much as a rustle.

Aang soon found himself on the frozen streets of the village, the moonlight casting a faint and healthy glow upon the icy settlement. Aang took in a deep breath, allowing the frigid air to help him come more to his senses, and began to walk. He made his way to the edge of the village, only to find a solid wall of ice in his way. The Waterbending guards asked where he was going, to which Aang replied, "Somewhere to think." The guards, deciding that even the Avatar needed time to himself, parted the wall for him, allowing him to pass through. As soon as he passed through the threshold, the guards replaced the gate.

Aang walked for a little while, aiming towards a small hill that overlooked the village. Jumping up to the top with his Airbending, his feet alighted on the snow, crunching underneath his weight as he landed. He turned around, seeing the quaint village nestled underneath him, looking very peaceful on this tranquil night of absolute moonlight. Aang sat down on his haunches, crossing his legs and bringing his fists together in a meditative pose. He closed his eyes, letting his spirit drift to the ether around him.

"What is it, kid?" asked a rough voice, causing Aang to open his eyes. He was stunned to see the blue, translucent form of Avatar Kuruk floating just in front of him, sitting in midair with legs crossed.

"Where's Avatar Roku?" confusedly asked Aang, surprised to see Kuruk there.

"Roku's busy dealing with other matters in the Spirit World," gruffly replied Kuruk. "I don't think you'll be able to contact him for some time. Plus, when you let your spirit wander aimlessly in order to contact one of us, you'll end up with the Avatar most connected with that area. The South Pole is a special place to me, since this is where my wife Ummi came from. Of course, a lot of Water Tribe Avatars are connected with this area, but my connection is the strongest right here. Like I said, unless you focus your spirit, you'll get a random Avatar that's connected to the area around you." Irritated as Aang was by Kuruk's wisdom, he needed answers to the recent events that had occurred.

"Why didn't Roku tell me about Katara's mother?" asked Aang, letting a slight hint of accusation enter his voice.

"Her spirit was content to rest in peace," calmly replied Kuruk, seeming unfazed by the hinted accusation in Aang's voice. "There was no need for him to tell you about her, so that's why he never told you."

"But why did he guide her around the Spirit World?" asked Aang, his slight anger from before gone.

"He thought she would have a part to play later on," replied Kuruk. "As it turns out, he was right. When she asked him if she could speak to you about Katara, he gladly helped her by pulling you into the Spirit World." Nodding towards Aang, he added, "But now that you know her spirit is alive, what will you do with that knowledge?"

Aang looked down at the snow, letting Kuruk's words sink in. Now that he knew he could talk to Kya anytime he wanted, what would he do? She had already given him her blessing to be with Katara, so what else was there that he could do?

His eyes widened suddenly, his heart pounding in his chest at the realization. He looked up at Kuruk with a wide-mouthed smile, to which the Water Tribe Avatar replied with a silent smile of his own. An understanding passed between the two of them, no words needing to be exchanged to convey their respective messages. "You're a smart kid," said Kuruk with admiration. "You'll figure something out." Kuruk faded into the gloom, leaving Aang alone on the hill.

Aang jumped down from his perch and began making his way back towards the village. Just as the wall parted before him, he came face-to-face with someone he didn't expect to see: Katara. "Oh!" she softly exclaimed as he suddenly appeared in front of her as the wall separated. Coming out of her surprise, she smiled and said, "Hi, Aang."

Aang likewise smiled back and said, "Hi, Katara."

"What are you doing up?" she asked, genuine concern in her voice. Aang thought of how beautiful she looked in the moonlight, making her tan skin glow with an angelic light, the way her eyes sparkled under the lunar rays and the heavenly stars.

"Come with me," he beckoned, holding his hand out for her to grasp. She took his hand without hesitation, and the two of them began making their way through the village. As they walked around the village, Aang was still silent, allowing his mind to wander through recent events while his feet carried him.

"Are you okay?" asked Katara, causing him to look over at her. He could see the worriedness in her eyes, her lips turned downward in a concerned frown as she anxiously looked at her boyfriend. "Were you thinking about Zuko's promise again?" Aang shook his head, though his heart did twinge with pain at the mention of the promise Zuko had made him take:

_If you ever see me turning into my father, I want you to end me._

"Then what's wrong?" asked Katara, her worry increasing with each agonizing step that they took together. She stopped and turned towards him, taking both of his hands in hers as she said, "Please, Aang, I can tell that something's bothering you. You wouldn't be up in the middle of the night unless something happened to you. What is it?" Aang couldn't help but smile at her concern, at how cute she looked whenever she would resort to doting over him.

"It's nothing bad, so don't worry," he assured her, lightly squeezing her hands to affirm his statement. He heavily sighed, knowing that it was time to tell her why he had awakened at this time of night. "I had a dream…" he began, though he trailed off as he tried to find a way to gently break the news to Katara that he had seen her dead mother.

"What was your dream about?" asked Katara, her hair fluttering slightly in a light arctic wind.

"Well, it was more like a Spirit World visit," clarified Aang with a slight tilt of his head, glancing down to his left as he did so.

"From who?" asked Katara, who seemed intrigued by Aang's statement. "One of your past lives?"

Aang drew in a shaky breath as he looked back at her, preparing himself for what was to come, and simply said two words: "Your mother." Katara's eyes shot wide open, her pulse quickening and pounding from her fingertips and into Aang's hand, her breath getting caught in her throat. He felt her hands tremble in his, astonishment in each quiver, and he lightly squeezed her hands so that she would steady herself under his loving touch.

"…What?" she asked in a deathly quiet whisper, utter disbelief and shock in her tone, eyes as wide as the full moon on a starry night.

"I talked to your mother's spirit," continued Aang, trying to calm Katara with his words. "Actually, Avatar Roku pulled me into the Spirit World while I was asleep so that your mother could talk to me." He warmly smiled at her and said, "She knew that we were together, and she wanted to talk to me." Squeezing her hands again, he cheerfully added, "I told her about how much I love you, and she knew how much you love me, so she decided to give me her blessing to be with you." As Aang was talking, Katara's shock turned to joy, a smile spreading itself on her lips as tears filled her eyes. Seeing the tears fill her eyes, Aang asked, "What's wrong, Katara?"

Letting out a choked sob, Katara shakily said, "Aang, you…you have no idea what this means to me." Her smile widened as the tears streamed down her cheeks, glistening droplets that sparkled like diamonds on her flawless skin. "To know that my Mom approves of you, to know that she's happy with the boy I've given my heart to…" Stifling a sob, she happily said, "It means more to me than you could ever imagine."

Aang affectionately smiled at her, leaning in and kissing the tears off of her cheeks, tenderly whispering, "_You_ mean more to me than you could ever imagine." Feeling the radiating blush light up her cheeks and heat his own face, he lovingly chuckled and intimately rested her forehead against hers, softly whispering, "Your mother is the reason why you're in my life. It's because of her that you were born; it's because of her that you continued to live, even when she gave her own life to protect you."

"Aang…" amorously cooed Katara, warmly smiling at him as her cheeks reddened even further. His words were so sweet and sincere, his gratitude to her mother was practically shooting off into the night sky. An invisible compulsion took hold of the two, and soon their lips met in a gentle yet utterly heart-warming kiss. The moonlight seemed to intensify around them, a lunar spotlight that proclaimed their love to the entire world.

Just off to the side, at the edge of the moonlight, stood the transparent form of Kya, smiling a teary smile as she watched the young couple kiss. "My little girl's all grown up…" she whispered to herself as her tears flowed, her entire being aching with great pride and love for her beloved daughter. As her form began to disappear, she lovingly said, "I'll always be watching over you, my little angel."

"Always…" Kya finished as she disappeared, her voice ghosting into the silent night as she departed back to the Spirit World.

* * *

><p>AUTHOR'S NOTE:<p>

Remember my advice, my loyal readers:

_**BUY THE BOOK, AND SUPPORT THE WORK OF THE PEOPLE WHO STRIVE SO HARD TO BRING THIS INCREDIBLE STORY TO US.**_


	8. Finally Home

What's this? A chapter of my story that doesn't feature Kataang? What is this madness? Ah, I'm just messin' with ya'll. XD So yeah, this new chapter features everyone's favorite blind Earthbender, the radically awesome Toph! :D Anyways, Imma shut up now so you can get on with the story. Enjoy and review! :D

Oh, and Merry Christmas! :D

**DISCLAIMER:** I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender. The show and its characters belong to Mike and Bryan, the brillant geniuses behind one of the greatest cartoon shows in the history of cartoons. Their work is legendary, and I salute them for it. I also do not own "The Promise" story, which is written by Gene Yang, and is also the property of Mike and Bryan. I am simply help to spread the news of the upcoming story and do not take any responsibilty for the development of the story itself; I am only going off of what is known thus far.

**Finally Home**

The gritty soil dug into Toph's bare feet, seeping between her toes and warm, crisp summer air filling her young lungs as she sent her vision out over several long miles, feeling the town that lay just ahead of her. The layout of the town was extremely familiar to her: the mountains surrounding the village, the heavily populated settlement of Earth Kingdom villages, the Earthbending academy full of prospective students, and the Bei Fong estate that lay outside of the town.

Toph Bei Fong was finally back home in Gaoling.

As she made her way through the town, she could feel people turning towards in her in amazement, their hearts beating like a chorus of mighty drums when they realized who they were looking at. She broke into a huge smile as she heard them start cheering and applauding, proclaiming things like "Toph Bei Fong, Pride of Gaoling!", "The World's Greatest Earthbender!", "The Unstoppable Blind Bandit!", "All hail Master Bei Fong!", and so on. Toph couldn't help but wave at her adoring fans, feeling the pride swell up in her chest like a bubble, threatening to burst at any moment.

She walked like this for almost ten minutes, giving her appreciations to her fans as she walked on, smiling for all to see. Soon, she came to the outskirts of the city and began making her way towards her family's estate, all of her fans now left behind in the village itself.

As her feet guided her towards her home, her place of birth and childhood, Toph couldn't help but feel extremely apprehensive about the confrontation that she was no doubt going to have with her parents. It had been almost a whole year since she had run away from home, and a few months since she had sent that letter Katara had written for her. Would they be mad at her? Would they be thrilled to see her? Would they lock her up like the helpless child that they saw her as? Would their view of her have changed in the time that she was gone?

Even the great Toph Bei Fong felt unsecure and unsure of her footing, each step seemingly being made into a dark void through which she saw nothing but uncertainty and doubt, anxiety clutching her heart with each shaky footfall on the hard, uncompromising earth. Taking a deep breath, she assuredly told herself, "Stop worrying, Toph. I'm sure they'll be happy to see you. I mean, I _am_ their daughter after all; they should be happy to see me." She heavily sighed, feeling the dirt accumulate on her hardened and calloused feet. "Sure wish I had my friends to back me up…" she muttered to herself, a sense of loneliness gripping her heart.

After a few minutes, she felt her family's estate just over the next hill, causing her heart to double in its frantic beating. "You can do this, Toph," the blind Earthbender repeated to herself as she walked, reciting the mantra over and over again in her order to give herself the strength she needed to make it through this day. She imagined her friends cheering her on, encouraging her to go forth and reconcile with her parents, and soon she found herself smiling with confidence again. Even when she was on her own, her friends would always be in her heart, the one place she saw things clearly.

She approached the front gate of her family's estate, the impressive entranced adorned with the white flying boar of the Bei Fong family, flanked by two guards dressed in white and green Earthbender armor as usual. One of the guards, a bearded man, noticed her coming and asked in a commanding voice, "Who goes there-" The guard stopped himself, his eyes going wide as Toph got closer, as if she were a ghost of the past. "Great Badger-Moles below…" breathlessly said the man, his disbelieving heartbeats resonating through Toph's entire being. "Is…is that you, Toph?" The other guard, a young man with a wispy mustache, also looked over at Toph with an incredibly surprised look.

Toph stopped just short of the guards and smirked as she smugly put a hand on her hip and slyly said, "How many blind girls do you know in Gaoling?" Though Toph couldn't see it, the bearded guard's eyes widened even further when he saw her pale irises, those unmoving eyes that stared vacantly off into space and yet were so full of life, eyes that had seen many life changing things and yet was unable to view them through the inky veil of blindness.

The bearded guard let out a joyous laugh as he broadly smiled, turning to the younger guard and proclaiming, "It's Toph! She's returned home! Quick, inform Lord and Lady Bei Fong of this news!" The younger guard, wide-eyed as a school child, briskly nodded and opened the gate, passing through to the other side. Toph could feel the guard's pounding footsteps through the earth as he hurried to tell her parents of her arrival, his lungs in flexing in contrived and controlled spasms as he ran.

"So," said Toph with a chirpy smile and innocent tilt of her head as the bearded guard looked back at her, "did you all miss me?"

"Your parents were worried sick about you, Miss Toph!" exclaimed the bearded guard, a hint of justified anger in his forceful voice. "Do you have any idea of what you've put them through?"

A look of guilt plastered itself onto Toph's face, forcing her to bit her lip out of regret, finding strange comfort as her teeth nipped her lips. "I do," sincerely replied Toph, her voice full of shame, "and that's why I've come home. I…" Despite her normally strong, hard-headed self, she felt extremely vulnerable now, and it really did unnerve her that she could be crumpled down so easily when she allowed it to happen. "I want to make things right with them," she managed to say, though her voice was a bit shaky.

The bearded guard's face softened at the tone in Toph's voice, and she could sense his entire being shift from blaming her to being sympathetic towards her. She didn't want his pity, though; sympathy and empathy she could take, but she didn't need anyone holding her hand and telling her that everything was going to be alright. Her pride simply wouldn't allow it. "You had us all worried, Toph," the bearded guard kindly said, his voice becoming gentler than before. He was silent for a few moments, a thoughtful gleam in his strong emerald eyes. "You know what?" he asked with a smile. "Why don't we just go ahead and make our way inside the estate? I'm sure your parents wouldn't mind if we met them halfway."

Toph gratefully smiled and nodded, agreeably saying, "I'd like that." With a quick smile, the bearded guard nodded and led Toph inside, allowing her to walk just in front of him. What had surprised Toph at first was the fact that the bearded guard hadn't offered to hold her hand and lead her on; rather, he had let her walk in front of him, as if he wanted _her_ to lead the way. Toph allowed herself a small smile, thinking that maybe things weren't as desolate as she had previously made them out to be.

She and the guard had just passed the crossroad of the hedges and were just passing by the small pond, which was off to their right, and a nearby tree when the door to the estate, which was about twenty to thirty feet away, was thrown open. Toph jumped a little out of surprise, astonished that she hadn't felt anyone coming from the house. But then again, her nervousness had retracted her senses, letting her see only a few feet in any direction. She stopped in her tracks, extending her senses once again so that she could view the world around her through her birth element.

She could feel three people at the entrance of the estate itself: the younger guard, and her parents. Toph's heart instantly leapt into her throat, constricting her breathing as she struggled to keep herself steady. She could feel her parents watching her from the doorway, their hearts racing just as frantically as hers, beating all kinds of emotions into the earth below: disbelief, sheer joy, concern, love, and countless others that Toph couldn't recognize despite all her advanced Earthbending skills.

She felt her mother, Poppy, slip past her husband, her delicate feet gracing the earth below as she took a few hesitant, cautious steps towards Toph. Poppy looked at her daughter as if she had come back from the dead, total shock and astonishment on her porcelain face. "Toph…?" she nervously called out, letting her loving voice carry over towards the blind Earthbender.

Just the mere sound of her mother's voice made Toph's lips quiver, glistening tears springing to her pale eyes as she felt her heart ache with unimaginable pain. For months, she had been dying to her parent's voices, to know that they still remembered who she was and what she meant to them. Unable to take the separation for a second longer, Toph sprinted forward, her tears flying off of her face and into the wind as she struggled to hold back her joyous sobs. She heard her mother cry out with joy, running towards Toph to intercept her. Mother and daughter collided in an enveloping hug, the latter of the two burying her face in her mother's clothes in order to smother her tears.

"Mom…" she moaned into the soft, silky fabric, gripping her mother like she was her last bastion of strength and comfort. Poppy let out a mirthful, choked sob as she fiercely hugged her baby girl, tears leaking down her face as Lao also ran up to them and joined in the embrace, completing the Bei Fong family once more. The three of them stood silent for a long while, letting the guards return to their posts. Finally, the three of them separated, both Poppy and Lao keeping their hands on Toph's shoulders. Noticing her father, Toph smirked up at him and tearfully said, "Hi, Dad."

Lao, who looked like he was struggling to hold back tears of his own, happily smiled back at his daughter and said, "Hello, Toph." His voice was as strong as ever, but now laced with greater pride and love than ever before.

"We're so glad you're finally home, darling," said Poppy as she wiped away her tears, brightly smiling down at Toph the entire time.

Toph bit her lip again, feeling shame and regret wash over her like a rockslide. "Did you guys get my letter?" she apprehensively asked as her parents let go of her shoulders.

"Yes, we did," nodded Lao, pulling what seemed to be a parchment out of a pocket in his robe, holding it up so that the sun shone on the calligraphic letters. Clearing his throat, Lao read aloud:

_Dear Lao and Poppy Bei Fong,_

_My name is Katara. I'm a friend of your daughter, Toph. You might remember me as a traveling companion of the Avatar. I won't say where exactly we are right now, since we don't know if this message will be intercepted by the Fire Nation or not, but what I can tell you is that your daughter is safe and sound with us. I am writing this letter for her, considering her blindness that prevents her from writing. What follows is Toph's message to you, and, as a note from me, I hope you truly listen to her words. Anyways, her she is…_

_Hey, Dad. Hey, Mom. This is Toph. Like Sugar Queen said, she's writing this letter for me. I…I just wanted to say that I'm sorry; I'm sorry that I ran away from home. At the time, I never really thought about how much I hurt you guys when I ran off to be Aang's Earthbending teacher. But now that I've been traveling for some time, I've realized the mistake I made. I never meant to hurt you guys, but I just couldn't take being sheltered up anymore. I needed to get out and show the world who I was, to make them all remember me by the deeds I've done, not just because I'm a Bei Fong._

_I've accomplished so much while I've been traveling with my friends, and honestly…I wouldn't trade all that experience for anything in the world. But even with my kick-butt Earthbending skills, I'm still your daughter; I still love you guys more than anything in the world, even though you kept me locked up for most of my life. When I was at home, no one in the world knew who I was. Now, they know me as Toph Bei Fong, the world's greatest Earthbender and Earthbending teacher of the Avatar._

_I know you're probably mad at me for running away from home, and I know your view of me might not change, but you both know that I'm not the helpless little girl you always thought I was. I'm a strong, confident, totally awesome Earthbender who has real friends, friends who really care about me. Please, think about everything that I've done since I ran away from home; think about how your little girl grew up to be someone you could be proud of._

_I don't know if your view of me will change, whether you'll accept me as the prodigious Earthbender that I am or if you'll still choose to see me as the fragile blind daughter you've known your whole lives, but I'll still love you guys all the same. I'm still sorry that I hurt you guys when I ran away, but I promise that I'll come home to you guys once this war is over. Until then…I love you, Dad; I love you, Mom. Please don't ever forget about your little dumpling._

_Missing you more than you'll ever know,_

_Your daughter, Toph_

Fresh tears leaked down Toph's ceramic face, smiling as she remembered the day Katara wrote that letter for her. She had poured all of herself into that letter, wanting her parents to understand what her heart was saying. Lao put the letter back in his pocket as Toph wiped away her tears, the petite girl taking in a shaky breath as she asked, "Now do you guys understand why I left?"

"We do, sweetheart," sincerely replied Poppy, "and that's why we wanted to say-"

"We're sorry," Lao finished for his wife, kneeling down so that his eyes were level with Toph's face. Tenderly taking her hands into his, he smiled and said, "Your mother and I both understand that you're not as helpless as we once thought you were. We've heard of the great things you've accomplished with the Avatar, how you saved the world from the destructive hands of the Fire Nation."

"We simply can't help but be so very proud of you, Toph," tearfully said Poppy, letting happy tears flow down her face once more.

Lao hung his head down and closed his eyes, taking in a deep breath and saying, "We're sorry to have kept you locked up your whole life, but we only wanted what was best for you." Looking back up at Toph with pain-filled eyes, he regretfully added, "The only problem was, what we thought was best for you really wasn't best for you at all. What you needed was for us to let you embrace your Earthbending skills, to let the world know what the great Toph Bei Fong could do with the earth at her command."

Toph blushed a little at her father's words, sweetly smiling at him with all the love that a daughter could have for her father. Taking on a hesitant tone, she asked, "So…you guys aren't mad at me, then?"

"Mad?" surprisingly asked Lao. He drew her into a hug and said, "No, Toph, we're not mad at you." Lightly squeezing her, he added, "We're just so overjoyed that our little girl is finally home." Drawing out of the hug, he held Toph at arm's length and proudly said, "You've more than shown your worth to us, and that's why your mother and I have decided…that maybe perhaps you aren't the helpless little blind girl we always thought you were."

"Well, the blind part is still there," chuckled Toph, eliciting a small chuckle from her parents. Tilting her head towards them, she asked, "So you're not going to lock me up for the rest of my life? No putting guards on me twenty-four/seven?"

"Of course not," laughed Lao, wistfully smiling at his daughter. "What good would it do the world if the great Toph Bei Fong was locked up behind the walls of her own family's home?" He shook his head and said, "No, we've decided to accept you as the strong, powerful Earthbender that you are, and that you are _far_ from being a helpless, frail girl." Toph could hardly believe her ears; she had just heard the very words she had always dreamed of hearing her father say, and it was so unnervingly perfect that she couldn't help but smile as broadly as she could.

"Oh, Dad…" lovingly cooed Toph, feeling her heart flutter with sheer joy at his pride-filled words. She threw her arms around his neck, pulling him into a mighty hug that he readily returned. Poppy joined into the hug as well, uniting the Bei Fongs in love and happiness. As they stayed stoic in their embrace, Toph's heart was at peace, secure in the knowledge that she really was home, home with the family that had come to truly accept her for who she was.

"I'm finally home…" she whispered to herself, quiet enough for only herself to hear, her face contorted into an everlasting smile of gladness and peace.

* * *

><p>AUTHOR'S NOTE:<p>

Remember my advice, my loyal readers:

_**BUY THE BOOK, AND SUPPORT THE WORK OF THE PEOPLE WHO STRIVE SO HARD TO BRING THIS INCREDIBLE STORY TO US.**_


	9. The Pressures Of Royalty

Now we're changing moods just a little, but you'll see what I mean in just a moment. :P Anyways, I have a sweet surprise in store for you all next chapter, but I have no idea of how long it'll be. XD What I'm trying to say is that I literally just finished this chapter yesterday and haven't yet started work on my next chapter, so I'd like to ask you all to please be patient with me. Thanks in advance. :) Enjoy and review! :D

NOTE: The flashback in this chapter is straight from the leaked panels, and therefore is 100% canon.

**DISCLAIMER:** I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender. The show and its characters belong to Mike and Bryan, the brillant geniuses behind one of the greatest cartoon shows in the history of cartoons. Their work is legendary, and I salute them for it. I also do not own "The Promise" story, which is written by Gene Yang, and is also the property of Mike and Bryan. I am simply help to spread the news of the upcoming story and do not take any responsibilty for the development of the story itself; I am only going off of what is known thus far.

**The Pressures of Royalty**

"Are you almost finished yet?" impatiently asked Zuko as he glared in the mirror, standing as still as possible while he was being attended to. The tri-fold mirror reflected every aspect of the frontal side of the Fire Lord, allowing for one to expertly scrutinize him under the reflective images. He had been standing there for almost two hours already, and his patience was skirting on the edge of a thin knife blade.

"Almost, my Lord," assured Caifeng, the tailor of the Royal Family. Caifeng was a middle-aged man with a stylish goatee and a thin mustache, his ash-colored hair pulled back into a fashionable top-not. His face was sharp and angular, the face of one who likes to nitpick and flesh out the tiniest of details. One could call him obsessive compulsive, but the tailor would merely dismiss such thoughts with the fact that he enjoyed being very much professional and accurate in his line of work. Looking over in the corner of the dressing room, he said, "Daozi, could you please bring me a brush? His Majesty's cape is littered with confounded dust and hair."

"Of course, sir," nodded Daozi, one of the many servants in the Royal Palace, though his job was to be the attendant of the Royal Tailor. Daozi was a sickly-looking man with a pale face and somewhat dull amber eyes with no facial hair due to his lowly position. Moving over to a small dresser, he opened up one of the drawers and took out a brush, lined with bristles as to pick up any debris from clothes.

Daozi brought the brush to Caifeng, who kindly thanked him and sent back over to the corner he was standing at. Caifeng meticulously took his time with the cape, not taking his brush off the fabric until he was completely satisfied. "There we are, my Lord," pleasantly said Caifeng as he stood back, folding his arms behind his back as he proudly looked at his handiwork. "What do you think, Sire?"

"Well, I think he looks quite handsome," commented Mai from Zuko's left side, letting an appreciative smile play at her lips as she approvingly stared at her boyfriend.

Zuko glanced over at her and smiled, glad for her company during this incredible _boring_ segment of his day. But she was right; he did indeed look handsome. He had been getting fitted for his new Fire Lord outfit, one that would distinguish him from his forefathers.

The outfit itself retained many features of the original regal robe, including the blazoned, pointed shoulder pads, the upper segment of the robe, and the pointed shoes that the Fire Lord wore. However, what Caifeng had added was leggings and a medium-sized robe-like section around his waist, tight gauntlets around his forearms, and a flowing crimson cape that billowed around him like the wings of a dragon.

Zuko took the time to admire himself in the mirrors, taking in all that he had become through the transformation of his office attire. "So this new outfit will still allow me to Firebend?" he asked as he turned to his right, watching as the cape swished around him.

"Absolutely, my Liege," beamed Caifeng. "The leggings I added will allow you the full use of your legs. After all, Firebenders must be able to use all parts of their body in combat, and it would certainly be a disgrace if our Fire Lord weren't allowed the same luxury."

"I really think you've outdone yourself this time," truthfully said Zuko as he turned towards Caifeng, sincerely smiling at the tailor. Caifeng had been a part of their family for years, and he did have an immense respect for the tailor, even if his meticulousness did get on his nerves sometimes. Caifeng was a kind-hearted man, one who was always happy to do his duty to the Royal Family.

Caifeng smiled so widely that Zuko was surprised that his head didn't peel like an Orange-Apple. "Thank you, my Lord," he gratefully said with a small bow. Standing back up, he added, "Someone such as yourself deserves only the best, and I thought this new outfit would help to give you…an air of command, if you will."

"Well, you've certainly accomplished that," chuckled Zuko, making Caifeng's face beam even brighter than the noontime sun. Quirking his good eyebrow, he asked, "Have you finished up the clothes for my friends? I want to be able to give them their new outfits whenever they arrive from the Southern Water Tribe in a few weeks."

"You needn't worry, my Lord," said Caifeng with a triumphant smile. "I've already finished work on the clothes for the Avatar and his Water Tribe companions. Those scrolls from the library on Air Nomad clothing certainly aided me in designing the Avatar's outfit." Zuko nodded, knowing full well of the countless manuscripts that had been kept from the time of Fire Lord Sozin regarding the Air Nomads. Caifeng disbelievingly shook his head and chuckled as he said, "Never in my wildest dreams did I ever imagine myself designing an outfit for the Avatar, and yet here I am, having done so."

"You're a good man, Caifeng," began Zuko, "and that's why-" The Fire Lord stopped himself as he saw Daozi burst to life from the corner of the room, bashing his way past the tailor and pulling a knife out of his robes, an insane and hungry look in his amber eyes.

"Down with the traitor!" declared Daozi as he raised the knife, now only mere feet away from doing in the Fire Lord. Zuko's eyes widened, knowing that the servant was too close for him to react. Suddenly, Daozi's entire being was jerked to the side, the sound of steel slicing through the air and impaling itself on wood and fabric. Daozi hit the wall, his arms pinned by several small daggers, cursing and struggling as he tried to get free.

Zuko snapped his head towards Mai, whose arms were extended after having thrown her deadly instruments, her blazing amber eyes full of deadly cold intent. "_No one_ touches my Zuko," she hissed at the would-be assassin, standing back up straight, her spine as tense as a drawn bowstring.

Zuko looked back towards Daozi at the same time Caifeng did, who was staring in shock and astonishment from the floor. "What in the name of Agni…" he breathlessly said as he stood up, gaping at his assistant. He quickly turned towards the door and began to shout "Guards!" just before the door was suddenly thrown open. Four Firebender guards swarmed in, quickly identifying the threat and surrounding Daozi.

"Are you alright, my Lord?" asked one of the guards, whose emblazoned helmet identified him as the Captain, his hands held up in a fighting posture towards Daozi.

"Yeah," dryly gulped Zuko, his heart racing faster than a rogue wind. He could have been dead just now, slain before he could help bring peace to the world. Staring at Daozi, he asked, "Why did you try to kill me?" Daozi kept silent, staring indignantly at the shocked Fire Lord. When Daozi didn't answer for several moments, a furious flame sprang to life in Zuko, and he angrily bellowed, "Explain yourself!"

"I would not allow you to uproot my family," growled Daozi, his dark amber eyes full of contempt and scorn. "Your Harmony Restoration Movement with the Avatar would have removed the Shunzo colony from the Earth Kingdom. My entire family lives there, hoping to make a decent living for themselves in a new land, and you decide to destroy that dream!"

"Enough!" commanded the Captain, having heard enough. "Your crime is clear: you are hereby charged with the attempted assassination of Fire Lord Zuko."

"Bah!" spat Daozi as two guards advanced on him, brandishing metal cuffs. As the guards took him into custody, he said to Zuko, "There will be others, _your Majesty_" - tracing those two words with an unholy coating of venom – "others who will succeed where I have failed!" As the guards took him away, he definitely shouted, "You will fall one day, Fire Lord, and our nation will rejoice when that day comes!"

"Take him to the prison tower," ordered the Captain, dropping his stance as he watched his men drag Daozi off. Once Daozi was gone, his threatening cries still echoing down the hallway, the Captain motioned for the last remaining guard to follow them. Once that guard left, the Captain turned towards Zuko and said, "Do you want us to execute him in the morning for his crime, my Lord?"

"No," quickly protested Zuko as he raised a hand, using the other to lean against the mirror frame as he felt his skin go pale with fear, his amber eyes still wide with shock. He could just imagine the knife sticking out of his chest, draining all the life out of him and leaving him as a hollow corpse. As he dropped his hand, he swallowed down some bile and slowly said, "I…I won't have anyone's blood on my hands. I'm not my father…"

"As you wish, my Lord," obediently said the Captain, bowing in the traditional Fire Nation fashion before exiting the room. Shortly after he left, four more Firebender guards came into the room, having heard the commotion from further down the hall, and all of them took defensive positions around the Fire Lord.

"Are you okay, Zuko?" concernedly asked Mai, placing her slim hands on his trembling shoulders. Caifeng was still trying to recover from the ordeal, his shaky hand on top of his blustered head to try and keep it from flying off and exploding on the ceiling.

"I'm not my father…" murmured Zuko to himself, gazing down at the crimson floor with unmoving eyes. He kept repeating this one phrase to himself, over and over again, as if to convince himself that it wasn't true. "I'm not my father…I'm not my father…I'm not my father…"

_"Where. Is. My. Mother?"_

_Despite his affinity as a Firebender, his words were laced with a frigid edge of intensity, chilling the air with icy deadliness that he had witnessed with Katara shortly after he joined Team Avatar at the Western Air Temple. He wanted answers from this disheveled man who was now trapped behind the impenetrable bars of his own prison tower, the low crimson lighting darkening his pale skin with malice._

_Slumping against the damp wall, Ozai merely smiled in the low light, as if he were amused with his son's attempt to sound threatening. "You ought to bring me some tea, Zuko," he said with a playful banter, his voice echoing in the darkness of the prison. "We'll talk while sipping from steaming little cups, much like you did with my traitorous brother." His charismatic voice became venomous at the mention of his sibling, not even attempting to seal his contempt behind a mask of feigned regality. Tilting his head up towards his son, he casually said, "Perhaps even the subject of your mother will come up."_

_He narrowed his sharp eyes at his father, feeling utter and total frustration take hold of him. "I don't need this," he declared, turning his back on the cell and making his way towards the open door, where the guards awaited him._

_"Do you think being the Fire Lord is easy?" bellowed Ozai from behind him, his voice roaring like the conflagrating flames of Sozin's Comet. With quickness and intensity in his voice, Ozai said, "The throne comes with many pressures, and those pressures will change you! But if you can stand the heat, you'll become something _more_." He continued to ignore his father, knowing that he would get nothing out of this man for the time being. "Of all the people in the world, I have the wisdom you need, the wisdom of experience!_

_"Be honest with yourself, Zuko…" said Ozai as he slightly lowered his tone, giving it an air of command and power that was strong enough to make him halt at the open door. "Do you really believe you can handle it all on your own?" He was silent for several moments, considering Ozai's words. His father was right; the throne was not an easy thing to ascend to. Many a Fire Lord had been broken by the pressures of the throne; but for those who preserved and conquered those challenges, they became the greatest men of their age._

_But to ask his own _father_ for help, the one man who had nearly destroyed the entire Earth Kingdom with the power of an ancient Comet…that was too far. No, he would not become like his father. He couldn't afford to become another Ozai, another monster that the Avatar would have to stop before it engulfed the world in another war._

_As he slipped through the door, he heard Ozai certainly say, "You'll be back, and I'll be here waiting for you…_son_." The iron door slammed shut behind them, the booming sound bouncing rapidly in his ears as he walked away. The way his father had acknowledged him as a son rather than as a failure, it…it just seemed too good to be true. Would his father offer help if he but asked for it?_

No,_ he told himself. _I won't become like my father. I'd rather die than have that happen; I'm not my father…

"Zuko?" Mai's worried voice snapped Zuko back to reality, her lithe fingers gently cupping his taut face, which was now dripping with nervous sweat. "Say something, Zuko," she pleaded as he looked over at her with wide eyes, seeing concern and worry brilliantly raging in her normally dull eyes. While Mai was not one for emotions, she wasn't completely heartless; she did indeed have a heart, but it could only be seen by those closest to her, and Zuko was the closest person she had ever known.

Forcing himself to smile a little to ease her concern, he lightly said, "You…you look really cute when you're worried." She gave him a slightly annoyed look as her pale cheeks flushed a little, making him give off a hollow chuckle.

"Scares me half to death, and he tries to be a sap," she irritably muttered under her breath, just loud enough for her and Zuko to hear. Heaving a heavy sigh, Mai looked over at Caifeng and said, "He's fine." Seeing Caifeng's shoulders sag with utter relief, she added, "Inform all the other royals, dignitaries, generals, and so on that His Majesty will be unable to attend any more meetings today due to nearly getting skewered by an assassin."

"You don't wish to keep this event a secret, Lady Mai?" asked one of the guards as he looked over his shoulder, his skull plate of his helmet becoming just visible in Zuko's line of sight, making him shudder a little.

Mai gave the guard a sour look and sardonically asked, "How can we keep an assassination a secret when everyone in the Palace is going to see your other guard friends dragging Daozi down the hall, twisting and screaming like a maniac about how there'll be other attempts on the Fire Lord's life?"

The guard considered Mai's point, giving a silent nod of recognition as he returned his attention to his duties as Caifeng said, "Yes, Lady Mai. I'll ensure that no bothers you and the Fire Lord until things cool down a bit." He walked out of the room, muttering, "Never in all of my days did I imagine…" His voice trailed off as he exited the room, his footsteps echoing down the hall.

"This way, my Lord," beckoned the guard that Mai had questioned. "We'll get you and Lady Mai safely back to your quarters." Zuko immediately felt Mai slip her arms into his, making his cheeks flush a little but doing nothing to keep a small smile from taking hold of his face.

"I couldn't imagine going anywhere without my personal bodyguard," said Zuko, casting a glance towards Mai to indicate that he was talking about her.

The knife-thrower rolled her eyes, thinking to herself that he had picked up some of his cheesiness from the Avatar. "And now His Majesty might be a bit delirious because of this assassination attempt," she dryly said, pulling Zuko along as he chuckled and as the guards advanced in front of them, forming a tight circle around the Fire Lord and his girlfriend as they walked down the lengthy corridor.

As they walked, Zuko could still his father's words echoing in his head, a ghost-like whisper that refused to dissipate no matter how many times he tried to banish it from his being:

_Do you think being the Fire Lord is easy? The throne comes with many pressures, and those pressures will change you!_

Trying to survive assassination attempts would certainly be a challenge to the young Fire Lord; to be constantly looking over his shoulder to make sure that no one was trying plunge a dagger into his back, to make sure some Firebender doesn't try to burn him to a crisp, it was enough to drive _anyone_ utterly mad.

However, there was one thing that his father had said that still bothered him, and he had a feeling that this one phrase would continue to haunt him for a long time.

_But if you can stand the heat, you'll become something _more_._

The question that Zuko kept asking himself was _what_ he would become if he could handle the pressures of the throne.

_What_ would happen to him?

_What _would happen to Mai?

_What _would happen to the Fire Nation?

_What _would happen to the world?

_What _would happen to his friends?

_So many questions,_ the troubled, scarred Fire Lord thought to himself, _and yet I have no answers to any of them._

Refusing to die, the sly, cunning voice of his father coldly said, _You'll be back, and I'll be here waiting for you…_son_._

* * *

><p>AUTHOR'S NOTE:<p>

Remember my advice, my loyal readers:

_**BUY THE BOOK, AND SUPPORT THE WORK OF THE PEOPLE WHO STRIVE SO HARD TO BRING THIS INCREDIBLE STORY TO US.**_


	10. What Did You Call Me?

We're so close to the end of 2011, I can practically taste it. So much is happening in the world of Avatar next year: the Promise Trilogy and even Legend of Korra. Yep, 2012 is shaping up to be a good year indeed. :D Anyways, I've got a nice little chapter for you before the New Year comes. I probably won't be updating this again until after New Years, since I literally just finished this chapter today, but I will try to get the next chapter done as soon as I can. In the meantime, enjoy and review! :D

Since I won't see ya'll till after the New Year, I thought I'd just take the time to say HAPPY NEW YEARS! :D Long live Avatar: The Last Airbender! Cactus Juice for everyone! XD

**DISCLAIMER:** I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender. The show and its characters belong to Mike and Bryan, the brillant geniuses behind one of the greatest cartoon shows in the history of cartoons. Their work is legendary, and I salute them for it. I also do not own "The Promise" story, which is written by Gene Yang, and is also the property of Mike and Bryan. I am simply help to spread the news of the upcoming story and do not take any responsibilty for the development of the story itself; I am only going off of what is known thus far.

**What Did You Call Me?**

"Just shift your weight through the stances," instructed Katara as she twisted her arms off to the side, leaning more on her right leg while keeping her left leg back for support as she streamed the water around her body. Her students, both guys and girls, eagerly watched her as she did her Waterbending, their eyes full of awe and wonder as they watched their teacher work. Lifting one arm above her head and leaning back on her left leg, Katara let the water stream circle once above her before swooping down low to the ground with a sweeping motion of her other hand. "Let yourself become one with the water," she continued as she compressed the liquid into a cohesive ball.

Spinning to face towards the fountain of the training complex, Katara shot her arms out to both sides, spreading her legs and splitting her water stream into two parallel forms, the clear blue liquid starkly contrasting and yet still melding into the lightish blue around them. With a graceful twirl of her arms and a flick of her wrists, the water streams silently snaked back into the fountain, barely even making a splash as they returned to their point of origin.

Smiling with satisfaction at her work, she stood up straight and lowered her arms down to her waist, closing her eyes and softly exhaling her energized breath in order to relax her chi. She heard her students clapping off to her right, and she opened her eyes as she turned to face them. "That was amazing, Master Katara!" exclaimed Sakumo, one of her students, a young man with ruffled black hair and sterling cyan eyes.

Before Katara could respond, she heard a voice behind her jokingly say, "I should hope so." Katara's students immediately stopped clapping and respectfully bowed, clasping one fist into an open palm. Turning around, she saw Pakku walking towards them from the entryway. Giving Katara a warm smile, one she returned with great affection, he stopped next to her and chuckled as he said, "I _was_ the one to train your teacher, after all, and even then I'm not afraid to admit that she's a much better Waterbender than I am."

Feeling her cheeks flush a little with pride, Katara folded her arms behind her back and tilted her head up towards Pakku, her students coming out of her bow as she said, "Oh come on, Grandpa. I'm sure there are still some things that you know that I couldn't possibly master." She had been put in charge of training Pakku's advanced class of Waterbenders a couple of weeks ago, and she did her best to impart all of her knowledge and expertise in the ways of Waterbending to her students. Even so, she still admired her step-grandfather for all of his own skills and wisdom, despite the fact that he had proclaimed her as a Master Waterbender after her time in the North Pole during Aang's journey around the world.

"I wouldn't be too sure about that, Katara," said Pakku with a truthful smile. "You're a natural when it comes to Waterbending." Gesturing to her students, he added, "Because of you, all of these fine young Waterbenders are going to go on to be masters in their own right, restoring the long-honored tradition of Waterbending to the South Pole." Out of the corner of her eye, Katara could see her students beam with pride, straightening up as their minds thought of the day when they would be proclaimed Master Waterbenders, carrying on the teachings of their masters to the next generation.

"Master Pakku!" suddenly called out one of Katara's students, a young girl with a dark brown bun of hair and soft cerulean eyes, raising her hand up for the elderly Waterbender to see.

"Yes, Makita?" questioned Pakku with a raised eyebrow as he turned towards the girl, Katara also following his gaze. "What is it?"

Dropping her hand, Makita asked, "Would it be at all possible for the Avatar to come here? A lot of us want to see him spar with Master Katara." Several of the other students nodded in affirmation of Makita's statement, expectantly looking at Pakku for an answer.

"I don't see why not," chuckled Pakku with a shrug. He thoughtfully held up a hand to his chin as he added, "If I do recall correctly, the Avatar was deep in council with the Chief and the elders last night." Katara knew what he was talking about; Aang had gone to speak with Hakoda, Sokka, and the other elders about how to improve their relations with the Fire Nation now that the War was over and Zuko was the new Fire Lord. The meeting had gone on long into the night, much to Katara's disappointment since she wanted to see him before she went to bed, but she knew she had to get some sleep before her class. Turning towards Katara as he dropped his hand, Pakku asked, "Katara, would you be willing to go wake up your boyfriend so that you two can spar for these youngsters?"

"Grandpa!" groaned Katara with embarrassment, furiously blushing as she heard Pakku chuckle and several of her female students giggle. Shortly after their arrival in the South Pole, the entire village knew of her relationship with Aang, and they had all whole-heartedly accepted him just as her own family had. Needless to say, that didn't stop the gossiping amongst her female students, who seemed jealous that she was with Aang but would never, for the life of them, try to steal him from her; they still knew their place, since she was their Waterbending teacher. With her more familiar students, those she had trained one-on-one because of their potential, she allowed them to ask how things were going with her and Aang, and she was more than happy to do so. It helped to make things more personal and more comfortable, and it also allowed her to be more open with other people as well as with Aang, since she could tell him what her students think of him.

"What?" playfully asked Pakku with a teasing smile. "An old man can't dote upon his step-granddaughter?"

Sighing with exasperation, Katara relented and said, "Well, no, but that doesn't mean you can embarrass me in front of my students." Seeing Pakku smirk, she knew that she was only fighting an uphill battle. Pouting at him, she grumpily said, "Fine, I'll go get my _boyfriend_." She dropped the pouting look to smile at Pakku once more, letting him know that she was only joking. Despite all of his teasing, Pakku truly did approve of Aang being with her, and he let it show whenever he could.

As she walked off, she heard Pakku say, "Now, as for the rest of you, I'd appreciate it if none of you teased my step-granddaughter about her relationship with the Avatar."

"But none of us have teased Master Katara about that, Master Pakku," respectfully protested Sakumo, causing several of his classmates to nod in agreement with him.

"It was merely for future reference, Sakumo," explained Pakku. "I know you all respect your teacher and the Avatar far too much to resort to teasing, but you're all still youngsters."

"But-" Sakumo began to say.

"And since you want to still keep arguing the point, Sakumo," said Pakku, "you and Makita will spar until your teacher returns with the Avatar." Katara chuckled to herself as she heard both of the mentioned students groan; Makita and Sakumo were extremely awkward around each other, and _everyone_ in the class knew that they each had a huge crush on the other. In a way, it seemed really cute to Katara when she saw those two interact, since they reminded her of how Aang used to act around her when they were on their journey around the world.

The next few minutes seemed to pass by in a blur for Katara, and soon she found herself standing inside of her home. She saw Aang sprawled out on his cot, the furs covering him up to his neck and his mouth slightly open as he slept. Katara softly smiled as she made her way over to the bedside, crouching down so that her face was level with Aang's. Deciding to take her time, she waited a few minutes just to watch Aang sleep some more, smiling at his innocent form as it rose and fell with each life-giving breath, his warm breath slightly ghosting on her face. He always seemed so perfect to her no matter what he was doing, her heart fluttering with each second that her eyes laid on him. Finally, she gently kissed Aang on the lips, whispering, "Good morning, Aang."

She heard Aang stir, the blankets shifting slightly as the Avatar groaned his awakening, his startling gray eyes cracking open ever so slightly and smiling as his gaze fell on her. "Morning, Katara," he quietly mumbled, content to stay still and allow himself to bask in her presence. Opening his eyes a bit more as Katara chuckled, Aang asked, "Have I ever told you how beautiful you are?"

Lovingly blushing at his words, Katara reached up and affectionately ran her hand along Aang's head arrow, smiling as she jokingly said, "Only about a couple or so dozen times."

"Really?" questioned Aang with a raised eyebrow, playfulness clear on his young face. "Because it seems like I've said it a lot more than that many times. You look amazingly beautiful pretty much every day."

Katara mirthfully chuckled, leaning down to kiss him on his forehead, getting just close enough for him to tilt his head up and kiss her chin. Leaning back, she asked, "How is it that I ended up with someone as amazing as you?"

"Fate, I guess," said Aang with a shrug of his shoulders, freeing one of his hands from the blanket and reaching up to gently cup Katara's face, his thumb tenderly stroking her cheek with loving affection. She smiled at his touch, his careful yet gentle fingers sending chills of pleasure down her spine and into her very core. Even with all the unlimited power of the Avatar, he was still a tender and loving young man, full of life and optimism that made her smile from day to day. After a few moments of silence, Aang dropped his hand and asked, "So, what's up?"

Katara perked up at his question, raising her eyebrows in attentiveness. "Hmm? Oh yeah; Pakku wanted me to come get you. Apparently, a lot of my students want to see the two of us spar."

"Aww, do we _have_ to fight?" complained Aang. "The last thing I want to do in the morning is fight with my totally awesome girlfriend."

"Oh, come on, you big baby," she teased as she kissed his forehead again. "It's just a little sparring match, a chance for me to show my students how much I can whoop you at Waterbending."

"Oh, is that so?" playfully challenged Aang as he sat up, letting the blankets fall off of him as he hopped out of the cot. "In that case," he huffily said with a sense of bravado as he walked towards the entrance of the dome, "I'll be sure to win, then."

Katara chuckled as she rushed up behind him and hugged him from behind, making him stop as she draped her arms in front of his chest, letting his hands touch hers as she kissed his cheek. "You're so adorable when you try to act tough."

Aang chuckled, leaning his head against hers as he said, "Only for you, Katara." Soon the two separated from one another, letting their fingers instinctively interlace as they made their way through the village. Along the way, they passed by many denizens of the village, who cheerily greeted them as they walked by. A couple of women said that they looked absolutely cute together, making them both blush as they thanked the women for their compliments.

At one point, Aang said, "It's still pretty amazing that the entire village approves of me being with you."

"Yeah," nodded Katara, "but that's because they all know that you're a pretty amazing guy." Aang smiled his appreciation to Katara, who returned the smile as she lovingly squeezed his hand.

Soon the two arrived at the Waterbending academy, walking in just as Sakumo sent a water stream jetting towards Makita, who deflected it with a flick of her wrist and sent a wave of snow towards Sakumo with a wind-milling motion of her arms. Sakumo raised his arms up, forcing a wall of ice to jut out from the ground, blocking Makita's attack. Pakku stood off to the side, staying near the middle in order to monitor the match, along with the rest of Katara's students. Pakku noticed Aang and Katara coming towards them, and he raised his hand as he said, "Makita, Sakumo, that's enough. Master Katara and the Avatar are here."

Makita stood up straight as Sakumo lowered his ice wall, awkwardly shifting in their places as they glanced off to the sides, as if their sparring match had left a sense of anxiety and discomfort more than what they were used to. Finally, the two of them turned towards Aang and Katara, respectfully bowing before they rushed off the far sides of the body of students, who were giggling and chuckling as they hastily retreated from one another. Aang smiled, knowing full well from Katara about Makita and Sakumo.

Dropping his hand from Katara's, Aang turned his attention to the students and cheerfully said, "Good morning, class."

Noticing that the almighty Avatar was addressing them, the students stopped their merriment and straightened up, bowing as they said, "Good morning, Avatar Aang." Pakku nodded at their respect of his step-granddaughter's boyfriend, but said nothing as he stood there.

Aang put his hands on hips as he said, "I've heard from Katara that a lot of you want to see me and her doing some sparring."

"I was the one who suggested it, Avatar Aang," meekly called Makita from the crowd, shyly ducking behind one of her friends just enough for her eyes to still be visible. However, another one of her friends gently elbowed her, nodding for her to not hide from the Avatar. Makita reluctantly came out from her hiding spot, standing timid under Aang's watchful gaze.

"Well, Makita," proudly said Aang as he dropped his arms, "I'm glad that you and the rest of your classmates have taken such an interest in seeing how two Master Waterbenders spar."

He heard Makita yelp as soon as he said her name, her tan skin growing darker as she blushed. Confused, Aang raised an eyebrow as she turned towards her friends and disbelievingly whispered with a giddy smile, "The Avatar knows my name!" Her friends giggled along with her while the boys just rolled their eyes, though Aang could feel Sakumo staring at him with deadly intensity.

Noticing Sakumo glaring at Aang, Katara decided to take hold of the situation and raised her hands in a placating manner as she said, "All right, settle down, everyone." Dropping her arms as her students settled, she said, "If you want to see me and Aang spar, you have to promise me that you'll all be on your best behavior."

"Yes, Master Katara."

Katara admirably nodded, saying, "Now that that's settled, it's time for all of you to see your teacher spar with the Avatar."

"Just don't feel too bad when I beat you," said Aang with a wave of his hand as he walked to the right side of the arena, throwing a playful smile over his shoulder as she shot a dirty look at him.

"I was just about to say the same for you," she shot back with a devious smirk, walking over towards the left side of the arena as she did so. The fountain was just off to the side, out of the way enough for the fighters to face each other without any impediments. Taking her place and holding her arms off the side in a Waterbending posture, Katara leaned back on her right leg and tauntingly called out, "Are you ready to get beat Southern Water Tribe style, Mr. Avatar?"

"Ready when you are, Ms. Hair Loopies," jested Aang as he loosened his arms, letting them hang in the air as he extended his chi to the liquid in the fountain. Katara scowled at him, though she could still the warm fondness and playfulness in her sparkling eyes. The two masters stood as still as glaciers, the frozen artic air thick with tension as the onlookers anxiously glanced back and forth between the two. Pakku seemed to be the only calm person in the crowd, looking over the scene with the same manner that he watched all of his students.

Suddenly, Katara drew a speeding stream of water from the fountain, twirling the liquid around her body with a spin of her arms before launching it straight at Aang as she threw out her hand. Aang jumped forward and thrust his arms out to the side, splitting the water stream in half and looping it back around a single, fluid motion of his arms. Melting a layer of snow beneath his feet, he drew up more water into his streams in the blink of an eye, coalescing his attack into a massive wave before throwing it at Katara.

Katara twisted her feet, encasing them in ice as the wave roared towards her. With great grace, she split apart the wave with a single tearing motion of her arm, twisting around with her other arm to catch the resulting water streams. Taking control of her other arm again, she added more power to her move, cohering her water streams and throwing them into the ground, freezing them into ice as they slid across the ground towards Aang.

The Avatar was ready, however, for this eventuality. He jumped up into the air, cartwheeling over the menacing ice serpents below as he extended his arms outward. His chi caught the ice, ripping it out of its frozen form and melting it back into liquid, snaking upwards as he continued to raise his arms. He landed on his feet, a large stream of water at his command, coiled like a vicious serpent about to strike. "Catch this, sweetie!" he shouted as he shot an open palm forward, commanding the water to forcefully torrent towards Katara.

Katara, even with all of her mastery as a Waterbender, immediately froze in place, her eyes wide with utter shock.

Her heart began to race like a wild animal, threatening to burst out of her chest and run rampant around the arena.

Her breath became hitched in her throat, almost suffocating her as her feet still refused to move in order to avoid the monsoon that was rushing towards her.

_WOOSH!_

The unforgiving water stream slammed into Katara, making her scream "Augh!" as she was thrown back against the far wall of the arena, the water drenching her to the bone as she slumped to the ground. Her students, and even Pakku, collectively gasped at the same time, staring in disbelief at what had happened.

Aang, mortified by what had happened, also gasped with fear as terror took hold of his heart. "Katara!" he cried out, rushing over to her side as fast as his feet would carry him. He hastily crouched in front of her, putting his hands on her shoulders as her eyes lazily came back into focus, every part of her being dripping with water. "Are you okay, Katara?" worriedly asked Aang, his eyes wide with apprehension and concern.

Her eyes drifted towards him, seeming to shift in and out as she tried to keep her gaze on him. Finally, she shook her head to clear her senses, and when she was done, her eyes seemed sharp and discerning. "Katara, I'm _so_ sorry!" quickly said Aang, feeling awful at having thrown his girlfriend so hard with the force of his attack. "I thought for sure that you'd catch my attack, but you didn't and got hit instead, and I'm so sorry for that, and-"

"What did you call me?" she softly asked him, pushing back some damp hair that had fallen into her face, never moving her eyes from Aang and not caring if she was freezing because of the water that had soaked her. That one word he had called her rocked her to her very core, making her feel somewhat vulnerable and yet wanting more at the same time. It was a strange feeling, one she hoped to make sense of as soon as she got an answer from Aang.

"What?" asked Aang, not sure what Katara was talking about. Maybe he had hit her so hard that she was delirious, and that only made his worry increase ten-fold. "What do you mean?"

"Before you launched that water stream at me," continued Katara, "you called me something. What did you call me?" She could see the gears furiously working in his head, spinning with all their might as he tried to piece together what she was saying. Finally, everything seemed to click in the young Avatar's mind, and when it did he broke out into a huge smile.

"Sweetie," he simply said, grinning so much like an idiot that Katara couldn't help but feel her heart flutter like the wings of a Moth-Butterfly. "I called you sweetie." Seeing a look of uncertainty and slight confusion come over Katara's face, Aang stopped smiling, thinking that she was possibly angry with him. "I just thought, that we've been together for so long, I thought…I thought that you'd like me calling you something like that or-"

"Aang," she softly beckoned, snapping him out of his self-ranting and making him focus back on her. Brightly smiling at him, she added, "I'm not mad at you."

"You aren't?" asked Aang, raising an eyebrow out of perplexity.

"You just caught me off guard with that," she continued, liking the sound of Aang's new nickname for her. Thinking of something, she deviously smirked and added, "Sweetie."

Realizing that Katara actually _liked _the name 'Sweetie', he broke out into an even bigger grin as he lovingly asked, "Are you alright, sweetie?"

Katara blushed as she chuckled, warmly responding, "I would be if you were to help me up, sweetie." Aang helped Katara to her feet without a moment's hesitation, finding his arms snaking around her waist as her hands came to rest on his chest, their hearts resonating through each other's bodies with the pounding beats of their mutual love. Strangely, Aang thought that Katara was even more strikingly beautiful when she was drenched in water, making her seem more in tune with her element than when she was simply streaming it.

"Better now, sweetie?" he warmly asked her, kissing her forehead as to alleviate any pain that his attack had caused her.

"I'm _always _better when I'm with you, sweetie," amorously replied Katara, feeling herself lost to the warm depths of Aang's eyes, her heart feeling like it was soaring on the winds of an everlasting love. She placed a tender kiss on his nose, passing her love for him into his body through that simple and yet meaningful gesture.

"Ahem," coughed Pakku from the sideline, snapping the couple back to reality as they looked back at their onlookers. All the female students were swooning, dreamily gazing at the scene in front of them, while the guys just awkwardly shifted in their places. Pakku was intently staring at them, crossing his arms as he said, "So sorry to interrupt the moment, but is Katara alright?"

Realizing that they had shown their more intimate sides in front of Katara's students, both of them broke out into violent brushes, separating from their embrace and yet still keeping a close enough proximity for them to hold hands. "Yeah," nodded Aang, "though I think that we- uh, _she_ might need to take a break for the rest of the day." Katara smiled at his thoughtfulness, despite the fact that her face burned with embarrassment at having been so intimate with Aang in front of her students.

"Perhaps," said Pakku with a knowing smirk, making the couple blush even harder. Pakku took few steps out of the crowd, turning around to face them as he said, "You heard the Avatar; for the rest of the day, _I_ will be teaching you. Avatar Aang is going to take good care of your teacher for the rest of the day." He threw a wink over his shoulder at the couple, who gratefully smiled at him before they turned around and left. Pakku returned his attention to the students and said, "All right, now you're all going demonstrate for me all the knowledge of Waterbending that you possess so far, and then we'll if you're really up to par with what I have in mind for you all."

As Pakku instructed the class, Aang turned to Katara and asked, "So you really like 'sweetie', huh?"

"More than like, Aang," sincerely replied Katara with a smile, leaning in to warmly kiss him on his cheek. Into his ear, she whispered, "I love it, sweetie." Leaning back from him, she added, "I could get used to hearing you call me that."

"I should hope so," chuckled Aang, "because you're going to be hearing it _a lot_ from now on, sweetie." Taking his turn to kiss her cheek, he said, "I love you, sweetie."

She giggled as she returned the kiss, saying, "I love you more, sweetie."

Aang smirked as he kissed her again. "I love you way more, sweetie."

"No, I love _you_ way more, sweetie," responded Katara as she leaned in to kiss his cheek again.

Before Aang could say anything in reply, a voice from behind them asked, "How is it possible for you two to get _any _oogier?" Aang and Katara stopped and looked behind them to see Sokka walking towards them, a clear look of annoyance on his face. Stopping just behind them, Sokka crossed his arms and incredulously said, "_Sweetie?_ Seriously? Where in the world did _that_ come from?" Even as Katara opened her mouth to respond, Sokka held up a hand and said, "You know what? I really don't want to know." He waved farewell to them, saying "Later, guys," as he walked off, disappearing around the corner of a building.

After a few moments, Aang slowly said, "Well, that was…odd."

"That's my brother for you, sweetie," sighed Katara, smiling at her boyfriend as she looked back at him. He smiled back at her, and soon the two had made it back to the Chief's home, drying off Katara and getting her tucked up in a warm blanket. The two of them snuggled up on a couch, Katara's nestled into the crook of Aang's neck as he wrapped his arms around her, bringing her closer in order to keep her warm.

After an hour or so of them snuggling and quietly talking with each other, Hakoda walked in, not surprised at the affectionate position that they were in. Hakoda chuckled and said, "I thought I'd find you two here." As they looked over at him, he added, "Pakku told me what happened at your little sparring match earlier." Warmly chuckling, he said, "I never imagined Aang to be one to call you pet names, Katara."

Nuzzling into Aang's neck, Katara contently murmured, "I know, but that's why I love my sweetie." She kissed his neck, making him give off a small hum of pleasure as he smiled. "He's always full of surprises."

"You two guys…" said Hakoda with a shake of his head and a knowing smirk, looking at the couple as if they brought back fond memories of when he would snuggle like that with his own wife. Turning to leave, he said, "I'll just leave you two alone so you can enjoy your private time."

"Thanks, Dad," softly murmured Katara, smiling at her father as he left them to be alone, the flap snapping shut behind him. Katara closed her eyes, snuggling closer to Aang as she whispered, "I'm going to take a little nap, sweetie."

"That's fine by me, sweetie," replied Aang, kissing the top of her head as he smiled. Resting his head against hers, he added, "As long as you're in my arms, I'm always happy."

"Hmm," hummed Katara with a smile as she felt the drowsy hand of sleep begin to wash over her. Kissing his neck again, she whispered, "I love you, sweetie."

"I love you too, sweetie," replied Aang, kissing her forehead as she felt her body giving into drowsiness and exhaustion. Soon the soft, feathery sounds of her light breathing filled his ears, and soon he fell asleep against her, safe and secure in the everlasting bonds of their unbreakable love.

* * *

><p>AUTHOR'S NOTE:<p>

Remember my advice, my loyal readers:

_**BUY THE BOOK, AND SUPPORT THE WORK OF THE PEOPLE WHO STRIVE SO HARD TO BRING THIS INCREDIBLE STORY TO US.**_


	11. The Travels of Toph Bei Fong

For those of you eagerly awaiting this chapter, your wait is over! And, for those of you wondering, my pattern of the chapters is kind of like this: Aang, Katara, and Sokka; Toph; Zuko. It goes back and forth like that for a while, but I'm doing that to explain what's going on with each of our heroes in that one year time span. Now that that's out of the way, enjoy and review! :D

Responses:

**Anonymus**: I've pre-ordered Parts One and Two from already, but I'm sure you could also find the book at your local bookstore once Part One is actually published. As for the canonical material from the graphic novel itself, I have found a site where the panels have been leaked out to. However, a whole lot of information is not given to us, such as what happens in that one year time span. So, in order to answer any questions, I'm writing a fanon for the first part of "The Promise" in hopes of filling in the gaps that Gene Yang left out. Most of what I write is opinion-based, but even those are based on actual facts from the original series and the leaked panels themselves.

**DISCLAIMER:** I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender. The show and its characters belong to Mike and Bryan, the brillant geniuses behind one of the greatest cartoon shows in the history of cartoons. Their work is legendary, and I salute them for it. I also do not own "The Promise" story, which is written by Gene Yang, and is also the property of Mike and Bryan. I am simply help to spread the news of the upcoming story and do not take any responsibilty for the development of the story itself; I am only going off of what is known thus far.

**The Travels of Toph Bei Fong**

Toph slowly inhaled the fresh, late summer air, allowing the warm currents to revitalize her lungs, bringing her innards to life before gently exhaling the withheld breath, relieving herself of the pensive pressure in her heart. Her travel bag was slung over her shoulder, which contained only necessary supplies such as food, spare changes of clothes, hygiene supplies (at the insistence of her mother), and a few bags of untold gold pieces. There was no need for her to have a tent; she could make her own out of the very earth beneath her dirtied and calloused feet.

The smell of jasmine filled the Bei Fong estate, wafting from the tea cups inside the house she had just come from. Even now, she could feel the tea circulating through her gut, bringing even more warmth to her young body. The earth beneath her feet felt stable and strong, much like her, but also full of life and energy that reinvigorated Toph with each footfall she made.

Gone was her Blind Bandit outfit, replaced by one her parents had given her: a tunic much like her previous outfit, greenish-yellow in color with a gold stripe down the middle and a collar at her neckline, along with the deep green of the main tunic itself on her arms and legs; bronze gauntlets on her wrists with a green hand-guard; another set of studded gauntlets on her ankles with green foot-guards, her feet still bare for her to see with her Earthbending; and a green, pointed headband, very much in the same style as the one she had in the Fire Nation, with gold tassels that hung down at the sides of her head.

Turning to face behind her, she decidedly said, "Well…I guess this is it, then." Her parents were standing behind her, looking down at her with heaviness in their hearts. Both of them had known that this day was coming, but it certainly did nothing to ease their minds.

"Do you really have to go, Toph?" asked her mother, Poppy, who seemed very close to tears despite how hard she was trying to contain them. "You've only been here for a couple of weeks."

Toph's sightless eyes glanced down at the ground as she nodded, remembering her time with her parents as if it were only the blink of an eye. Things had been great ever since she got home: her parents had finally accepted her for who she was; let her be herself; greatly admired her legendary Earthbending skills and her newfound Metalbending skills; spent much more time with her and listened to her tales and adventures that she had had with her friends; even watched her and cheered her on as she went up against the remaining Earth Rumble fighters in a friendly one-on-all sparring match which, of course, she won with ease.

Toph wearily sighed, scuffing her bare foot on the compacted earth as she looked back up at Poppy and said, "As much I've enjoyed my stay here at home, the world still needs me. I can't just sit here at home relaxing while my friends are out there working hard to make sure peace is restored to the world." Shrugging, she added, "Besides, both of you know that I want to go out there and open up my own Metalbending school. A skill like that could really help in the peace process; I don't know how, but I have a feeling that it will."

Her father Lao nodded, knowing full well of his daughter's intention to spread her Metalbending skills throughout the Earth Kingdom. "There should be enough gold pieces in your bag that will help pay for the materials needed for the construction of the school, should you decide to not build it entirely out of earth."

Toph smirked, rather liking the idea of having her school made completely made out of earth. "Nah," she said with a wave of her hand. "Only the floor will be made out of earth; the rest of it will be good old-fashioned timber."

"But where will you go?" desperately asked Poppy, clasping her hands and holding them against her chest as if to contain the pains her heart was experiencing.

Toph turned her head skyward, as if she wanted the answer to fall down out of the sky and in front of her parents so that they would know. Sadly, her luck wasn't that great, and she sighed again. "Honestly…I don't really know right now." Pursing her lips a bit, she added, "I might head over to Omashu and see how King Bumi's doing, maybe even get into a little Earthbending tussle with him, but after that…I just don't know."

"Whatever you decide, Toph," said Lao, "know that your mother and I will _always_ support you in your endeavors." He smiled down at his only daughter, proud of what she had become and anticipating what she would further do for the world in the future, the pride that would fill him and overflow his entire being with the unconditional love that he held for Toph. Poppy likewise smiled and nodded her affirmation of her husband's statement, her eyes glistening with tears that had yet to be released.

Toph sincerely smiled, truthfully glad for her parent's support. "I really appreciate that, you guys." Before the moment was lost, she dropped her bag and ran over to her parents, embracing both of them as their arms enveloped her. "I'm going to miss both of you a lot," said Toph, her voice thick with clogged emotion, her heart not wanting to leave and her mind yearning for her to be gone already into the wild unknown.

"We'll miss you too, sweetie," chokingly said Poppy through her tears, her arms tight around her daughter, never wanting to let go and still knowing that she couldn't keep her baby girl forever. Separating from their group hug, Poppy wiped away her tears, sniffling as she asked, "Do you promise to visit us whenever you can?"

"Of course, Mom," promised Toph with a tender smile, fighting with all her might to keep her tears from leaking into her eyes. "And I'll find someone to write letters for me whenever I get the time to tell both of you how things are going for me."

"As long as you never forget about us," said Lao with a smile, "you will always have a home here with us."

"I could never forget about you guys even if I tried," said Toph, sniffling as she roughly wiped away a rogue tear that had snuck down her face without her knowing. Sniffling and taking a deep breath, she smiled and said, "Well…there's no point in me staying any longer, so…goodbye, Dad. Goodbye, Mom."

"Goodbye, sweetheart," lovingly said Lao, wrapping an arm around Poppy's waist as she put a hand on his chest to steady herself.

Sniffling a little more, Poppy smiled and warmly said, "Take care of yourself, Toph. We love you."

"I love you guys too," replied Toph before she turned around, struggling against the urge to embrace her parents once more before she departed. She had said her goodbyes, and now it was time for her to take to the road once more, going wherever the wind and her feet took her into the wild of her home nation, the mighty and powerful Earth Kingdom. Her heart already aching with longing for her parents, Toph broke into a run, her legs heaving her towards the wall of her family's estate, feeling her parent's eyes on her the whole time as she ran.

"There she goes again, dear," said Lao with a sigh as they watched Toph run. "Our little girl, taking on the world like she always was meant to."

"I just hope she'll be safe out there," softly said Poppy, leaning her head against Lao's shoulder and tears streaking down her pale cheeks as she watched her beloved child leave.

"She'll be safe out there, my love," assured Lao, pulling his wife ever closer to himself. He smiled with certainty as he watched Toph jump over the wall on a pillar of earth, disappearing as she fell to the other side. "She'll be safe."

All the while, Toph Bei Fong's feet pounded into the earth, propelling her along the path as her lungs eagerly grabbed at the air, her bright and cheerful smile shining brilliantly in the midday sun.

* * *

><p>After four days' travel, Toph found herself overlooking the magnificent city of Omashu, the city born out of the love of the first Earthbenders to ever exist in the world. "All right, Bumi," she announced to the wind with a smug smirk, her heart already throbbing with the sensation of victory. "Let's see who the <em>real<em> greatest Earthbender of all time is."

Toph made her way through the city, snaking her way to the palace on top of the city. The guards, upon hearing her announce her name, immediately admitted her inside, leading her to the throne room. Even through the expansive palace walls, she could already feel the old coot's presence, sitting on his throne and eating what felt like a bowl of lettuce leaves.

The guards led her into the throne room, the older of the two guards saying in a booming voice, "King Bumi, your Majesty, Master Toph Bei Fong of Gaoling has requested an audience with you."

"Eh?" The old king looked up from his bowl, the edge of a lettuce leaf sticking out of his mouth only briefly before he chomped the rest of it down. He was dressed in his usual royal purple robes, that same crazy and mad genius look shining bright in his wild eyes. Seeing Toph make her way down towards him, he broke into a wide smile as he set the bowl down. He stood up and let out a great cackle, spreading his arms wide as he joyously said, "Toph, my young friend! How are you?"

"I'm fantastic, you mad genius!" laughed Toph, breaking into a run and throwing herself into Bumi's arms, enveloping him in a hug which he returned with a hearty snort. Breaking out of their hug, Toph smiled and said, "You're a sight for sore eyes, Mad Genius."

"Ha!" barked Bumi with a snort and a posh wave of his hand, knowing full well of her blindness. "Full of wit as ever, I see!"

"What can I say?" shrugged Toph with a smirk. "It's my signature trademark."

"Right you are, my dear," admirably replied Bumi with a wicked smile. Gesturing to the door, he said, "Walk with me, Toph. I can tell that you have many things to tell me." Toph nodded, and soon the two of them were walking around the inner corridors of the palace, followed closely by Bumi's personal guard. After a long silence, Bumi said, "So, what has transpired in the world since the end of the Hundred Year War? I already know of the Harmony Restoration Movement that the Earth King, Fire Lord Zuko, and young Aang have in mind for the Fire Nation colonies."

"Guess word spreads quickly, huh?" chuckled Toph, eliciting an agreeable cackle from Bumi. "Well, there's that," continued Toph, "but Aang and Zuko still have a long way to go with that."

"How is my old friend Aang, by the way?" asked Bumi, looking down at Toph with curious eyes. "I'm afraid I haven't heard much from him since he defeated Fire Lord Ozai, and I'm gnawing at the bit wondering what's become of him."

"That's not a surprise," said Toph as she blew an obtrusive bang out of her face. Cocking her head up towards Bumi, she added, "In case you haven't heard, and I'm sure you haven't, he and Katara are dating now."

"His young Waterbending friend?" asked Bumi as he raised an eyebrow. Seeing Toph's affirmative smile and nod, he burst out cackling, the sound of his merriment carrying down the lengthy hallways and echoing off of every wall. "Ha! I _knew_ those two would end up together! Piandao owes me five gold pieces!"

"How did you know about Aang and Katara?" surprisingly asked Toph, not really wanting to know what kind of bet Bumi had made with Piandao; the less she knew, the better.

"Well," began Bumi, "I knew he cared about her from the first time they came here, but I _knew _my impression was right when I talked to Katara at the White Lotus camp just before we retook Ba Sing Se."

"What exactly did she say?" asked Toph, curious to hear what Katara had to say during that time.

"She told me about the whole situation that she found herself in with Aang, how she wasn't sure what she wanted. She knew that she cared about him, but she felt like he was taking things way too fast and that she couldn't be with him because she didn't want her heart to be hurt if he were to die in the final battle. To tell you the truth, I admire her for not giving Aang a sense of false hope and for showing him that she really does have feelings for him, and that's why I'm thrilled that the two of them are together."

"You just want Aang to be happy with her, right?" asked Toph with a knowing smile.

"Of course," snorted Bumi with a wily grin. "He's my oldest friend, and that's why I would be very much downtrodden if something terrible were to happen to him, either physically, mentally, or emotionally. I could tell that he shared a special bond with Katara even before they were together. As long as they remain faithful to one another, I'm certain that their love will flourish as the years pass by." Glancing down at Toph, he added, "By the way, where are Aang, Katara, and Sokka now?"

"They're in the South Pole," answered Toph. "They're visiting Katara and Sokka's family for about a month or so before they head over to the Fire Nation to help Zuko with the Harmony Restoration Movement."

"Hmm," hummed Bumi as he nodded. "Family is one of the most important things in the world, and it certainly would be vital if Katara's father knew that she was dating the Avatar."

"I'm sure he's already given his approval of Aang," assured Toph, knowing from her experience with Hakoda that he did admire Aang. Smirking, she added, "I'm sure they're probably cuddling in some ice hut right now, whispering sweet-nothings to one another as they talk the night away or something sappy like that."

"Do you envy them for having that kind of relationship?" wisely asked Bumi, a discerning tone clear in his ancient voice.

"Psh, no," incredulously scoffed Toph with a roll of her pale eyes. "Trust me, Katara can _keep_ Twinkle Toes and all of his gooey sappiness." Folding her arms behind her head, she smugly added, "As for me, I roll alone. I don't need some mushy boy holding me up from being the world's greatest Earthbender and only Metalbender."

"Love will find you one day, Toph," sagely said Bumi, all mannerisms of his wild and crazy side gone only to be replaced by the tone of one who had seen endless decades roll before his withered eyes, understanding the trials and tribulations of life with each coming year. "Whether you want it to happen or not, your man will find you."

"He better not be anything like Aang," muttered Toph, clenching her fists until her knuckles turned whiter than her face. "I will _not _stand for a guy who pampers me day-in and day-out, making me feel like some giggly girly-girl who's blushing all the time because of his stupidly sweet and sappy words." Spreading her arms wide, she proudly proclaimed, "I'm _Toph Bei Fong_, not some pretty little floozy!"

"The Spirits have made a man perfectly suited for your needs, Toph," calmly said Bumi as the petite Earthbender dropped her arms, growling in annoyance and her brows furrowing in agitation. "One way or another, you'll meet him, and you'll know that he's the one for you."

Toph dropped her head, her features relaxing, knowing that Bumi was right. Secretly, she was a tad bit jealous of all of her female friends: Katara had Aang, Suki had Sokka, and even Mai had Zuko. Out of all her friends, she was the only one without that special someone to call her own. Of course, every time that jealously resurfaced, she viciously jammed it back inside, forcing it to stay down so she could still be her awesome self. "Maybe…" she murmured to herself, feeling a bit of sadness gnaw at her heart. She shook her head to clear these uncharacteristic thoughts out of her brain. She didn't need a man; she was Toph, and Toph was _tough_. She stopped and looked up at Bumi, who also stopped alongside her. "Rematch," she firmly said, narrowing her milky-veined eyes at the old coot.

Both of Bumi's eyebrows rose up in slight surprise. "Beg your pardon?"

"Rematch," Toph repeated, jabbing a pointed finger into Bumi's hardened chest. "Remember that little Earthbending brawl we had before the Comet?"

"Of course," nodded Bumi. "Sokka declared that match to be a draw."

Toph slyly smirked, her voice oozing with pride and smugness as she said, "Well, I decided that we should settle this once and for all. Once I whoop you and finally, once and for all, become the greatest Earthbender of all time, I'm going to open up a Metalbending school."

"Is that so?" wittily asked Bumi with a mischievous grin. Seeing Toph nod, he straightened up and said, "How about this? If _you_ win, I'll tell you about a place that will be perfect for your Metalbending school. But if _I_ win, you get to play with Flopsie for the next three weeks." Upon hearing the conditions of Bumi's victory, Toph thought it was a bit odd for him to say such a thing, but then she knew that could never really expect the king's motives to be clear at any point in time.

Toph smirked, liking her odds against the old man. "You're on," she said with a viciously confident smile.

Time seemed to blur by in a flash, and soon Toph found herself standing in an arena; in fact, the very same arena, according to Bumi, that he and Aang had fought in during the Avatar's first visit to the city when he had to pass three tests. Bumi stood on the far side of the arena near the entrance, stripped down to nothing but his green shorts, letting his tanned muscles gleam in the light around them, a wild yet calculating look in his inscrutable eyes. He held an open palm in front of him and a fist by his side, his legs spread apart in a wide horse stance.

Toph stood on the other side of the arena, her arms held up in front of her and her feet firmly rooted into the ground, sending out constant vibrations through the ground so she could keep a figurative eye on Bumi at all times. For nearly ten minutes, the two Master Earthbenders stood their ground, neither one moving even a fraction of an inch, letting their entire beings meld with the earth around them.

Suddenly, Bumi cried out and launched himself forward, slamming into the ground with a mighty crash and sending a tumbling wave of earth towards Toph. The blind Earthbender dug in with her toes, embedding them into the stone as she jut out her arms in a piercing manner. The rolling thunder of stone smashed into the tips of her fingers, parting on either side of her like fog before a wind, leaving her completely unscathed.

With Bumi's attack foiled, Toph's right foot slid out even further, getting more of a grip on the stagnant earth as she stomped with her left foot, bring five rocks to bear from the stone below. She chopped at two rocks, launching them forward just before she kicked the remaining three rocks in turn.

"Ha!" laughed Bumi as he punched through the first two rocks. Wiping out Toph's remaining rocks with a single roundhouse kick, he openly declared, "You'll have to do better than that, my little pebble pusher!" Seeing Toph angrily scowl at his taunting, he cackled and loudly added, "I was hurling rocks like that when I was but a mere lad of four years old!"

"Oh yeah?" challenged Toph, cupping her hands to her mouth and projecting her voice across the arena. "Bet you haven't learned from Badger-moles like _I_ have!" She dropped into a crouch stance and punched down her leg, sending three lines of jagged earth through the ground and directing them towards Bumi with blinding speed. Bumi, however, was ready and jumped over the deadly attack, dropping down on the same spot with a thunderous boom and sending billowing dust into the air.

Toph snarled and jumped forward, coalescing the earth underneath her feet in order to propel herself forward. As she reached the dust cloud, she jumped off of her earthen steed and launched herself into the dust cloud, meeting nothing but bare earth as her feet mightily impacted the ground. She sent out another shockwave through her feet, her eyes widening when she realized that Bumi wasn't anywhere around her.

"Wha- _how?_" she asked herself, losing focus for a brief second. The thought suddenly hit her: Bumi was _tricking _her. He must have tunneled underground, sending out just enough seismic waves to fool her into thinking that he was still in the same place when he actually wasn't there at all. Toph smirked to herself, saying, "You sly old dog. Figured me out, did ya?" She spun around and kicked her leg up, catching Bumi's arm on the sole of her foot as it was coming down on her from behind.

With a pleased grin, Bumi said, "Ah, you're more clever than I thought." He punched out with his spare arm, but Toph quickly disconnected herself from the king and pushed herself backward, just barely preventing his fist from hitting her gut by mere inches. Toph stomped her foot down and raised her arms, spewing up more dust from the ground into the air, seeking to blind Bumi and prevent him from seeing her. "Using your environment to your advantage," commented Bumi, seeming impressed by Toph's abilities. "Very clever indeed!"

Toph's face was stoic as she silently circled around Bumi, incorporating a few techniques she had learned from Aang when it came to centering your opponent in your field of vision. Spotting an opportunity to attack Bumi from behind, she punched upwards with her arm, sending Bumi flying up on an earthen pillar. Dirt and grit clung to Toph's sweaty face as she smiled, feeling invincible on the battlefield.

"I'm afraid that won't be enough, little girl!" shouted Bumi, righting himself in midair and slamming into the ceiling with his feet, twisting his ankles and encasing them in stone, thrusting out with both arms as debris fell from the ceiling. Toph turned her inky gaze towards the ceiling, knowing from the sound of Bumi's Earthbending that he was blasting falling rocks at her. She made a punching motion with her arm in an arc over her head, forcing an earthen shield to encase her just as the rocks impacted around her.

As soon as the last rock hit, Toph could feel Bumi launch off the ceiling, the dirt particles clinging to him and allowing her to see him in midair, a thin trail of earth that betrayed the king's presence to her invisible sight. Toph tore apart the dome with her arms, quickly collecting the shards into a rough ball and kicking it upward with a thrust of her leg.

Bumi merely punched through the rock ball, passing through it like an intangible cloud as he continued to rocket towards the ground. Realizing that Bumi was aiming for her, Toph quickly jumped backwards as Bumi collided with the ground, sending her flying backward and crashing into the far wall as the arena began to crumble around them.

The king stood up out of the crater that he had formed, cracking his knuckles as he asked, "What's the matter, Toph?" Casually stretching as Toph removed herself from the wall, he added, "You've seem to have lost a bit of your famous ferociousness since when we last fought."

Toph spat at the ground, rubbing off her lips as she smugly chuckled, feeling quite alive in the heat of the moment. "Oh, I'm just getting warmed up," she slyly said with a cunning grin. She immediately shot her arms outward, collecting fragments of the wall to herself and encasing her body in rock armor, jumping back against the wall and launching herself forward on a horizontal pillar, keeping herself planted on the pillar as she extended it out towards Bumi.

Bumi came alive as soon as Toph flew towards him, spreading his stance and raising his curled arms up against his body, producing an earthen wall in front of him. He kicked and punched with all his might, sending jagged projectile after jagged projectile at the blind Earthbender. Toph merely punched at each flying rock, using various hand blocks to keep Bumi's attacks from hitting her as she continued her advance towards Bumi.

When she was close to Bumi's defensive wall, she grabbed onto her pillar with both hands and kicked out with her feet, smashing headlong into Bumi's wall and sending the king tumbling backwards. Dropping to the ground, Toph shot her arms forward, sending dozens of small rocks flying out from her wrists before she dropped her armor, collecting that into another ball and throwing it at Bumi as well. Bumi, however, had quickly regained his ground, deflecting her tiny rock bullets as if they were nothing more than insects, catching her balled-up armor in his hand. "Good, but not good enough," said Bumi, dropping the ball to the ground and kicking it with a sweep of his foot.

"Always hard to please old-timers, isn't it?" jokingly asked Toph, kicking out with her foot and crumbling the returned ball against it. Launching herself forward on another pillar of earth, she flew towards Bumi with great speed, encasing her arms in the remains of her armor ball as she pulled the fragments to her skin.

Bumi merely sidestepped the inbound girl, letting her fly past him and towards the wall that was behind him. Realizing that she had missed her mark, she quickly aligned herself towards Bumi and thrust out with her feet, smashing into the wall so hard that she was uncertain of whether or not that she had broken a few bones in her feet. Feeling no pain, she punched out with both arms, sending two serpentine trails of earth rushing out of the wall and racing towards Bumi, twisting in the air as she directed her chi through the stone, seeking out their intended target.

Bumi punched through the first serpent, strongly kicking the second one as Toph dropped to the ground. Toph threw her gauntlets at the king, dropping into another horse stance and punching a clawed hand above her head as she did so. Bumi crossed his arms just in time to block Toph's flying gauntlets, but not the pillars that erupted underneath his feet.

Stumbling enough to be just off balance, Bumi quickly looked up and saw the ceiling racing towards him, Toph's pillars being the means by which he would be smashed into the ceiling above. He threw his arms above his head, his fingers digging deep into the stone and using all of his incredible strength to keep Toph from succeeding. Unruly beads of sweat traced down Toph's face as she struggled to raise the pillars any higher, infuriated by the king's stubbornness.

After a minute or so of this, Bumi pushed down on Toph's pillars, tearing a humungous piece of the ceiling, a piece that was at least a eighty feet across. Bumi furiously yelled, throwing the massive boulder at Toph. The blind Earthbender's eyes widened at the scale of earth flying towards her, but she set her face straight and her stance wide, yelling bloody murder as she punched a single fist at the boulder, cleaving it in two and allowing it to fall around her.

Having felt Bumi launch himself off of her pillars as soon as he had launched the boulder, she uppercut with a clawed hand, jutting out a jagged column just as Bumi landed in front of her, holding another large rock in his hand but stopped as he saw the stony blade mere inches from his face. Bumi's wild eyes widened at the sight of the deadly weapon, not figuring that Toph would use such a technique against him.

Of course, Toph never intended to kill the king with her earthen blade; rather, it was a tactic to scare him, not harm him. Much to her relief, Bumi had stopped his attack, leaving the two Earthbenders panting and sweating like rabid animals after a vicious, all-out brawl. Neither combatant moved for the longest time, letting the calm that followed the raging storm settle around them, taking in their relative positions should they continue this madness.

Finally, Bumi broke out into a maniacal grin and cackled, dropping his rock as she said, "It seems that you've won, Master Toph." The blind Earthbender could hardly believe her ears, daring not to believe the king's words in case this was a trap. Seeing Toph's reluctance to relent, Bumi spread his arms wide and bowed, saying, "You have certainly earned your right as the greatest Earthbender of all time."

Through her vibrations, she felt no change in Bumi's biological structure that would indicate any falsehood or treachery, so she decided to retract her blade into the ground. "Sorry 'bout nearly skewering you," she said with a nervous laugh as she rubbed the back of her head, blushing slightly with embarrassment. "Guess my Earthbending just got away from me."

Bumi smiled and dismissively waved his hand, saying, "Think nothing of it. I've been in many life-and-death situations myself with rogue Earthbenders over the course of my reign, but never in all my years did I think that I would be bested by one as young as you." Beaming proudly at Toph, he added, "Nor did I think I would be bested by one who's so in tune with the earth, even on the same level as I am."

"So…" slowly said Toph, tilting her dirt-covered head up towards Bumi, "does that mean I win?"

"Of course it does," warmly chuckled Bumi, folding his arms behind his back as he pleasantly smiled down at Toph.

"Booyah!" jubilantly exclaimed Toph as she punched her fist upward in triumph, Bumi chuckling all the way as she celebrated her victory.

"And, as promised," said Bumi, getting Toph's attention once more, "I will now tell you of a place where you can open up your Metalbending school."

"Fire away, Mad Genius," smiled Toph as she put her hands on her hips, still reveling in the aftermath of her victory.

"Have you heard of a city called Yu Dao?" asked Bumi.

"Umm…" mumbled Toph, straining to remember if she had ever heard that name before. Finding no answer in her mind, she shook her head.

Bumi slyly smiled, as if gaining a silent victory over Toph. "Yu Dao is the oldest of the Fire Nation colonies, a city where both Earth Kingdom citizens and Fire Nation citizens live in peace and harmony."

"Okay…" slowly said Toph, "but what does that have to do with my Metalbending school?"

"Patience, child," said Bumi as he held up a hand. "I'm getting there. Now where was I…oh, right! Yu Dao is known for its expert metal work, which is the finest of any that you'll find in the entire world. Many Earthbenders live in Yu Dao, having been the only inhabitants before the Fire Nation citizens immigrated there over a hundred years ago, but I'm sure you could train the Earthbenders there in the ways of Metalbending."

"Who would I talk to, though?" asked Toph. "Who exactly is in charge of the place?"

"When you get to Yu Dao, which is slightly inland from the western coast of the Earth Kingdom," said Bumi, "speak to Mayor Morishita. He's the leader of the Yu Dao colony; he'll be the one who can help get your school started."

"Sweet," smirked Toph, liking how everything was falling into place. Bowing to Bumi, she respectfully said, "Thank you for everything, Bumi."

Bumi likewise bowed to her, saying, "You are indeed a talented Earthbender, Toph, and I'm honored to have fought with you today." Standing back up, he cackled and said, "Now go on, you crazy youngster! Show the world what you can do!"

"No need to tell me twice, Bumi!" cheerily replied Toph as she ran towards the exit, eager to be gone from Omashu so she could travel to Yu Dao with all due haste. She triumphantly smiled to herself, estatic that she had actually _won_ against King Bumi, the only Earthbender in the entire world who could keep pace with her.

Bumi chuckled to himself as he watched Toph go, mumbling to himself, "She'll do great things. I just know it…" Returning his mind to the present, he turned his gaze back towards the overhanging pavilion, where his guards were hiding in fear as a result of the vicious Earthbending brawl that had erupted in front of them. "Shan!" he barked.

"Yes, your Majesty?" timidly called back Shan, a scrappy young Earthbender in his late twenties.

"Get a cleaning crew in here!" ordered Bumi, walking back towards the pavilion as he stretched his back. "And go change yourself while you're at it!" Bumi added as he waved his hand in front of his nose, disgusted by the fearful smells coming off the young guard, who was burning with embarrassment and shame at the latter of Bumi's orders.

* * *

><p>After another four days' of travel, Toph found herself on the main road to Yu Dao. From what she could feel, the city itself was quite massive, taking up most of the valley in which it was situated, guarded on all sides by jagged cliffs and rugged mountains. Toph cheerfully smiled to herself, loving how much earth was around her, how <em>alive<em> she felt when she was surrounded by untold tons of her birth element.

As she approached the city gates, she was stopped by a couple of guards, who Toph, for the most part, felt like were Firebenders. They wore metal armor, much like their counterparts back home, but they lacked the skull helmet as was common in their station. That, and they had a distinct smell of soot, ash, and smoke on them. Toph figured that they must have been sparring about a half hour before their shift, and it definitely showed through in their stench.

"Welcome, traveler, to Yu Dao," cheerily greeted one of the guards, who was just a young man. "Would you please state your name and business here in Yu Dao?"

"The name's Toph Bei Fong," proudly said Toph as she placed her spare fist on her hip, "and I've come to talk to Mayor Morishita."

The second guard, a middle-aged man, gasped as soon as Toph stopped talking, his eyes bulging as he amazedly said, "Great Agni…you mean, you're _the_ Toph Bei Fong? As in the Avatar's Earthbending teacher?" The younger guard also looked down at Toph with a sense of awe and wonder, making the blind Earthbender beam with joy.

"The one and only," chirpily proclaimed Toph, closing her eyes and giving the guards a toothy grin that Aang would be proud of.

The younger guard excitedly laughed, his face full of delight as he said, "Well, it's an _honor_ to have you visit our city, Master Bei Fong!" Stepping aside and gesturing to the gate behind them, he added, "Please, come in, and I'll take you to Mayor Morishita."

And so, the younger guard took Toph through the city of Yu Dao, which was bustling with life and various activities, with people of both Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation ancestry living side-by-side in peace coexistence. Toph was pretty amazed by what she was feeling: the rhythmic clanging of blacksmiths; the crunch and smashing sounds of Earthbenders; the roaring of flames from Firebenders; the sounds of merchants selling their wares; and many other things that even Toph couldn't keep track of.

Finally, the guard, who told Toph that his name was Lee, brought her to an official looking building, one that Toph could feel was the place that she was looking for. He led her inside, leading her down a few twisting hallways before coming to a large office. "Wait here, please," instructed Lee, motioning for Toph to stay put. He walked up to the doorway and rapped on the wood, saying, "Mayor Morishita?"

"Yes, Lee?" said Morishita, shifting ever so slightly as he looked up at Lee. "What is it?" From what Toph could feel, Morishita was a very large man, one who wouldn't be particularly adept at bending but could still get around like everyone else. Of course, Toph couldn't see what the Mayor's face looked like, given her blindness and what not, but his strong and firm voice made him seem like a commanding figure.

"You have a visitor, sir," explained Lee.

Morishita heavily sighed, saying, "I'm afraid I'm too busy at the moment. I'm writing a letter to the Fire Lord asking him to reconsider the Harmony Restoration Movement. It only spells doom for the colonies and our nation." Morishita dipped his writing utensil back into his ink reservoir, continuing to write streaming characters on the parchment he was using.

"Umm…" slowly said, warily looking back at Toph with cautious eyes before returning his gaze to Morishita. Nervously gulping, Lee said, "Your visitor is Toph Bei Fong, sir."

Morishita instantly stopped writing, making Toph smirk as he felt his heart-rate double in pace. The Mayor slowly looked up from his desk, his eyes wide with shock and astonishment. "Did…did you say _Toph Bei Fong_ wants to see me?"

Deciding to make her grand entrance, she pushed her way past Lee, making him yelp a little out of surprise. Mischievously smirking, she said, "Well, not exactly _see_, if you know what I mean." She waved a hand in front of her eyes to emphasize her point. Feeling Morishita get up, she held up her hand and said, "No need to get up, Mayor. I don't need a standing ovation."

Looking back up at Lee as he took his seat, Morishita said, "You're free to go, Lee." The young guard nodded and left, leaving Toph and Morishita alone in the room. "Please, Master Toph," beckoned Morishita, motioning to a seat in front of his desk, "have a seat."

Toph planted herself in the chair, placing her bag on the floor as she motioned to the chair next to her and asked, "Do you mind if I prop my feet up on this chair? I've been on the road for a long while, and my feet are aching just a bit."

"Of course," nodded Morishita, putting down his writing quill. As Toph moved the chair over and propped her feet up on the head of the chair, Morishita smiled and jokingly said, "I've seen enough dirt-coated and calloused feet of Earthbenders to last me at least four lifetimes."

"I'd like to think that my feet are unique among Earthbenders," said Toph, folding her arms behind her head as she relaxed her sore feet. Tilting her head towards Morishita, she cocked a quizzical eyebrow and said, "So, about that letter to the Fire Lord you were writing-"

"Oh, that's nothing," quickly said Morishita, taking the writing blocks off the parchment and crumbling the writing material into a ball, throwing it into a wastebasket next to his desk. Clearing his throat, Morishita hastily said, "I have immense respect for our Fire Lord and his allies, including you, Master Bei Fong."

"Right," drawled Toph with a roll of her eyes, not needing her unique senses to know that Morishita was lying. "Look," she sighed as she dropped her feet to the floor, bring her hands to rest on her lap, "I know that you might not agree with the Harmony Restoration Movement, but all of my friends are working really hard to restore peace to the world. You have to give Zuko- I mean, the Fire Lord, a chance. He's still new to this whole running-a-nation thing."

Morishita was silent for a few moments, taking Toph's words into consideration. "Aren't you part of the Harmony Restoration Movement?" he asked, a sense of wariness and apprehension in his tone. "You _are_ the Avatar's Earthbending teacher, after all. Who's to say that you haven't come to Yu Dao to remove us from our ancestral home?"

"Relax, Mayor," said Toph with raised palms of peace, "I'm just a wandering traveler at the moment." Dropping her hands, she added, "I'm not here to enforce the removal of Yu Dao."

"Then why are you here?" asked Morishita with a raised eyebrow, leaning back in his seat as he eyed Toph.

"King Bumi told me that Yu Dao is a pretty good place for me to open up a Metalbending school," explained Toph.

"You know the king of Omashu?" gasped Morishita, leaning forward in his seat.

"Yeah," laughingly scoffed Toph. "I just came from there after beating him in an Earthbending brawl. We're longtime buddies like that."

Morishita was left to his stunned silence, much to Toph's amusement. "No one has _ever_ been able to best King Bumi at Earthbending," he finally said, wonderment clear in his voice.

"Well, you're looking at the first," proudly smiled Toph, beaming at the astonished Mayor. "Anyways," she continued, "Bumi told me that Yu Dao has the best metalwork in the entire world, and that this would be the best place to open up my Metalbending school." Before Morishita could say anything, she reached into her travel bag and pulled out a bag of gold pieces, throwing it onto the desk as she said, "I believe this should be enough to cover the construction of the building."

Morishita opened the bag, counting each gold piece in turn, his eyes continually bulging with each new coin. Widely smiling, he looked up at Toph and chuckled as he said, "Oh, this is _more_ than enough, Master Bei Fong." Setting the bag down, he gladly said, "It would be an honor for this city if you were to open up your first Metalbending school here. All the Earthbenders here have heard of your formidable skills as an Earthbender, and also of your unique Metalbending skills as well." Thinking of something, he asked, "By the way, what _do_ you want to call your school?"

"Isn't it obvious?" asked Toph with a slick smile. "The Bei Fong Metalbending Academy."

* * *

><p>AUTHOR'S NOTE:<p>

Remember my advice, my loyal readers:

_**BUY THE BOOK, AND SUPPORT THE WORK OF THE PEOPLE WHO STRIVE SO HARD TO BRING THIS INCREDIBLE STORY TO US.**_


	12. Changing of the Guard

Gotta say, I'm personally proud of this chapter right here. :) The words, they just flowed from my mind to the keyboard. It was indeed brillant. :D Alright, enough about me; on with the story! Please enjoy and review! :D

**DISCLAIMER:** I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender. The show and its characters belong to Mike and Bryan, the brillant geniuses behind one of the greatest cartoon shows in the history of cartoons. Their work is legendary, and I salute them for it. I also do not own "The Promise" story, which is written by Gene Yang, and is also the property of Mike and Bryan. I am simply help to spread the news of the upcoming story and do not take any responsibilty for the development of the story itself; I am only going off of what is known thus far.

**Changing of the Guard**

Zuko paced back and forth down the length of the troops standing before him, the fire surrounding the Fire Lord's dais illuminating him as he took each one of them in turn. Before him stood fifty men, his personal bodyguard left over from the days of his father, all dressed in the elite armor of the Imperial Firebenders, the fiercest fighters in the entire Fire Nation armed forces. Most of them were, at the very least, twice as old as Zuko, the oldest of them being in his late forties. Each and every one of them were exceptional Firebenders, perhaps the best in the whole Fire Nation.

As much as Zuko admired these soldiers for their service to the Fire Nation, his heart was still heavy with the task that was set before him. As he walked back down the line of soldiers again, he thought to himself about how much these men had seen when they had served Ozai, what kind of orders they had carried out in his father's name. Zuko shuddered at that thought, wishing he never found out. Not only were the Imperial Firebenders fierce, they were ruthless. That was what made them so deadly; their willingness to achieve their objective, no matter what the cost.

Zuko had long pondered his decision to do this, but in the end he knew it was the right thing to do. He had discussed the matter with Mai just a half-hour before…

_"Are you sure you want to go through with this, Zuko?" concernedly asked Mai, placing a tender hand on his plated shoulder as he gazed out over the Palace Garden, his amber eyes smoldering with uncertainty and uneasiness. He always came to this place to think whenever he was troubled. There was just something about this place, so many happy memories…the days he would spend feeding the Turtle-Ducks with his mother, Ursa. Even now, she could see her warm and loving smile, her tender and soothing voice washing over him like the golden sun after a long, harsh winter._

_His battle-hardened hands gripped the railing in front of him, turning his knuckles white as he said, "I have no choice, Mai. The Imperial Firebenders are too big of a threat to my rule here in the Capital to just go ignored."_

_"Because of the fact that they were your father's personal bodyguards?" questioned Mai._

_"Solely for that reason," he replied as he let go of the railing, feeling Mai's hand drop from his shoulder as he made his way down the garden path. The cobblestones clicked underneath his royal footwear, providing a steady beat upon which he could focus on as he made his way down to the pond, the Turtle-Ducks expectantly quacking at his approach. He sat down in front of the pond's tree, leaning his back against it and letting his gaze drift towards the open sky._

_He heard robes shift around as Mai sat next to him, her head alighting on his shoulder as she leaned against him. Armor also clinked in the background; Imperial Firebenders, his personal guard._

_His _father's_ personal guard._

_After Daozi had nearly assassinated him, his security had been dramatically increased from the normal guard, replacing them with the highest tier of protection: the Imperial Firebenders themselves. Even though there had been no more attempts on his life since then, he couldn't just ignore the fact that they had once served his father. Even though he had ordered them to swear absolute fealty and loyalty to him when he took the throne, he couldn't be sure whether the embers of resentment still smoldered in their hearts, waiting for the day that they could explode and avenge their former master by taking the life of his traitorous son._

_"My Lord," said one of the Imperial Firebenders as he stepped up to the tree, "are you sure you wish to remain out in the open like this?" Looking around at the rooftops, the Firebender added, "We're too exposed in the Garden." The Firebender, whose name was Shunjin, and his men hadn't overheard him and Mai discussing their plan to dispose of the Imperial Firebenders, but he knew that they would hear soon enough._

_"We'll be fine, Shunjin," he assuredly said with a dismissive wave of his hand, watching a baby Turtle-Duck that was staring at him with beady black eyes, its yellow head tilted slightly in curious recognition._

_"With all due respect, Fire Lord Zuko," said Shunjin, his deep voice metallically amplified through his helmet, "my men and I can't effectively do our duty when you willingly endanger yourself and Lady Mai in this way. I highly suggest that we move indoors before someone decides to take a lucky shot at you."_

_He tiredly sighed; Shunjin was the second-in-command of the Imperial Firebenders, captain under the first-in-command, Colonel Menshao. Even when he was a boy, he admired Shunjin for his unswaying dedication and loyalty to the Royal Family. He was a truthful and honest man of great dignity and pride, a true soldier of the Fire Nation who knew his duty to both Fire Lord and land. _Agni bless him, _he thought to himself, _but he can be stubborn sometimes.

_Looking up at Shunjin, he said, "Captain, I think that my girlfriend and I are more than capable of defending ourselves if trouble comes sniffing us out." He felt Mai chuckle against him, amused with the thought of the two of them fighting side-by-side staving off hordes of assassins._

_Shunjin straightened up, his terse posture showing that he had taken some offense from the retort. "Your Majesty," he astutely stated, "my men and I are willing to lay down our lives for you and Lady Mai. I will not have our honor and duty slandered by your carelessness in even the most basic of safety protocols."_

_"Is that a challenge, Captain?" He narrowed his sharp amber eyes at Shunjin, almost daring the Captain to make a move he would soon regret. Shunjin remained motionless in his armor, though his men did seem uncomfortable in the tense moment, shifting around nervously in their armor as the silent stand-off continued._

_After several long, agonizing moments, Shunjin's shoulders relaxed, his armor shifting slightly as he respectfully said, "No, Fire Lord Zuko." The Captain removed his helmet, breathing in the fresh summer air as he shook his head. Shunjin was a middle-aged man with a finely trimmed charcoal beard, his ash-like hair tied up into a regal top-knot. His gleaming amber eyes shone bright in the sunlight, his weathered face hardened by the long years of his service. Shunjin rested his helmet in the crook of his arm as he said, "We're only concerned for your safety, my Lord. As one of the main supporters of the Harmony Restoration Movement, the Avatar and his allies will be needing your assistance the most of all."_

_"I understand your concern, Shunjin, but any one of my friends could tell you that I'm far from helpless. I fought against Azula in an Agni Kai during Sozin's Comet, remember?"_

_"If I do recall correctly, your Majesty," smirked Shunjin, "I believe that the former Princess incapacitated you with a lightning blast and that Master Katara was the real one to win that duel."_

_He smirked back as he said, "Yeah, I suppose that is true." The two of them chuckled with each other, all perceived hostilities evaporated with the noon sun. Knowing that he had to finish his conversation with Mai, he gestured to Shunjin and the other Imperial Firebenders as he said, "Why don't you and the rest of your men gather in the Throne Room? I have an announcement to make to all the Imperial Firebenders."_

_"I'll send word for Colonel Menshao and the others right away," assured Shunjin, signaling for one of his men to run off to get the mentioned people and for the rest of them to flock to the Throne Room. Putting his helmet back on his head, he bowed and said, "I will be waiting by the Garden entrance to escort you, my Lord."_

_"Very good, Captain." Shunjin walked off, leaving both him and Mai alone under the tree. Once Shunjin was at a far enough distance, he leaned down and whispered into Mai's ear, "I don't intend to completely get rid of the Imperial Firebenders."_

_"Why?" curiously asked Mai. "I thought you said you couldn't trust them?"_

_"Yes," he nodded, "but that's because each and every one of them served under my father. What I need is a change of the guard, replace all the old Imperial Firebenders with new recruits. That way, I know for sure that they'll be loyal only to me."_

_"But what about Shunjin and Menshao? Who will replace them?"_

_He considered her query for a moment, for it was a legitimate question indeed. "I don't know," he truthfully replied. "Maybe I can keep Shunjin; I'm more familiar with him than I am with Menshao." Wrapping an arm around his girlfriend and pulling her close, he smiled and added, "Shunjin's a good man, and I doubt he could ever turn on me."_

_"You're too trusting, Zuko," Mai teased with a dry smirk._

_"Trust is a necessary risk," he coolly shot back at her, "and Shunjin's worth the risk."_

_"But what about Menshao?" she asked as her smirk dropped. "What will he have to say when you promote Shunjin to his place?"_

_"Again, I don't know," he sighed, slumping his head back against the tree, the baby Turtle-Duck quacking to get his attention. "Menshao…well, he was always by my father's side. That being said, he definitely needs to go."_

_"He's not going to like that," warned Mai, touching a hand to his scarred cheek and pulling him down to look at her steely amber eyes. "Both of us know that Menshao is a violent man and that he explodes on anything that makes him angry."_

_"Maybe that's why my father liked him," he humorlessly joked. "A blunt instrument with which he could enforce his rule inside the Palace itself." She stared at him for several long moments after he was done speaking, leading him to raise a quizzical eyebrow; well, his good one at least. "What?"_

_"Just be careful, will you?" she softly asked, genuine concern in her normally bored voice. "Sometimes your blockheadedness gets you into bad situations that nearly get you killed. Like what happened with Azula: you had to go and throw yourself in front of a lightning bolt just to save Katara."_

_"Hey," he protested, "I knew what the consequences were at the time! If I had done nothing, Katara would have died! Is that what you want? For me to feel guilty for the rest of my life, knowing that I could have saved her but didn't want to risk look like a blockhead doing so?"_

_"Geez, Zuko, calm down," she relented, dropping her hand down to her lap. "I was only kidding."_

_"Trust me, Mai," he seriously warned, "you don't kid around me about my friends. They've changed me in so many ways, and I'm still indebted to them for helping me become the person I am today."_

_"Alright, I'm sorry, okay?" she snapped, making him jump a bit in surprise. "I said I was only kidding!" She detached herself from him and turned away, crossing her arms in front of her chest as she irritably huffed. He stared at her in complete surprise; Mai didn't yell very often, but when she did, it immediately grabbed his attention. There was something about her voice, something impulsive and commanding that forced his eyes on her, as if admiring her for actually expressing an emotion besides boredom._

_He heavily sighed, placing his head on her shoulder and rubbing her back as he said, "I'm sorry, Mai. I didn't mean to sound so defensive. My friends just mean a lot to me, alright?"_

_"Yeah, and I'm just chopped Turtle-Duck," she sardonically replied, turning her head away from his irresistible eyes. The baby Turtle-Duck frightfully quacked from the pond, hiding behind his mother who proceeded to scold the couple in her own way. Despite the tenseness of the situation, he found himself chuckling at the frightened little Turtle-Duck, reminded of how he would, as a young boy, try to hide himself behind his own mother whenever he saw Mai. That sweet childhood memory gave him the courage to kiss her cheek in order to strengthen his apology. Mai made no move to protest his actions, rather just trying to ignore her incorrigible boyfriend than give in to his attempted sweetness._

_"You mean a lot to me too," he softly whispered into her ear, making her shudder as his hot breath caressed her pale skin, his strong hands lightly warming her back and making her moan with pleasure. If there was any advantage to being a Firebender, it was that he knew that Mai simply enjoyed these fiery attentions he gave her. Of course, they never engaged in the sort of…_intimate_ activities that a Fire Lord and his Lady would enjoy under the binding veil of marriage, but they knew that perhaps, one day, they would enjoy those blissful sensations with one another for the first time._

_"Unh…you're impossible," she grunted, stiffening her back so that his hands only grasped thin air. She got up from the ground, brushing herself off as she said, "Charming as you might be, there's no way I'm giving into it."_

_"Not even a little?" he teased with a small smile. He loved to tease her like this, pushing her to her limits and then pulling her back with his sometimes clumsy wit yet still smoldering and fiery charm._

_Seeing a tiny smirk envelop her lips, he knew his ploy had worked. "Maybe just a little, but that's all," she replied, walking off to attend to other duties. He watched her with a dreamy haze as she walked off, her raven black hair shining in the sunlight before the darkness of the Palace enveloped her, leaving him alone with his thoughts and the Turtle-Ducks._

_He sighed, leaning back against the tree as he looked back at the curious baby Turtle-Duck, chuckling as his gaze fell upon the innocent creature. "She certainly is something, isn't she?"_

_"Quack!"_

Zuko's gaze was stern and firm as he tried to peer behind the black eye-holes of each man's helmet, try to discern the emotions they were all going through as he watched them: anxiety, fear, apprehension, or perhaps anticipation, wondering, and curiosity? Whatever the myriad of thoughts and preconceptions rattling through their minds, they remained as stoic as ever, not moving an inch unless he commanded it, leaving only the sound of their breathing to rasp against the gilded metal of their fiery helmets. Zuko nodded to himself in approval; these men had been trained well, and it seemed a waste to decommission them in favor of younger, more loyal recruits, but it was a precaution he had to take.

He stopped in the middle of the assembly, his cape swishing around him as the fire behind him crackled with anticipation and waiting. He folded his arms behind his back and kept scanning the crowd, wondering if any one of these men would suddenly turn on him after his announcement. Taking in a deep breath, he formally said, "You all must be wondering why I've called you here today."

The soldiers remained silent.

"The reason why," he continued, "is because I've realized something. My personal safety is an important concern for both myself and the Fire Nation at large, but what I've realized is that my safety is compromised every day because of one thing." He gestured to the troops and added, "All of you, the Imperial Firebenders." The soldiers murmured amongst themselves in astonishment and complete surprise, some voices even traced with an edge of anger.

"Your Majesty!" bellowed a soldier from the far right-hand side of the assembly. Zuko looked over as the soldier ripped his helmet off, revealing the face of Colonel Menshao. The Colonel was also a middle-aged man like Shunjin, though the gray whiskers of time had yet to seep in. His goatee and thick mustache were as black as pure coal, his semi-long pitch colored hair draping down the sides of his head and culminating into a top-knot that was the Fire Nation standard. His dangerous amber eyes were cold, sadistic, calculating, and menacing. "How dare you insinuate that your own personal bodyguard is compromising your safety!"

"Please, Colonel," placated Zuko with a raised hand, "just hear me out." Menshao's anger simmered down a little, though he could tell that the Colonel was about to explode like a powder keg set alight. Turning back to the Imperial Firebenders, but still keeping a wary eye on Menshao, he said, "The reason why I say this is because all of you served under my father, Fire Lord Ozai. I have no way of knowing if any of you still hold even an ounce of loyalty towards him in your hearts. If you did, you might turn on me like a rabid Komodo-Rhino and tear me to shreds."

"But none of us would ever turn on you, my Lord!" protested a soldier from the far left-hand side of the procession. Zuko looked over to see the soldier remove his helmet, revealing the face of Captain Shunjin, whose eyes were wide with confusion and slight betrayal. Zuko hated to see his friend, for he considered the Captain that after years of knowing him, to be so pained by his decision, but it was still something that needed to be done.

"It's too big of a risk, Captain," reasoned Zuko. "However, I have thought this decision all the way through, and I intend to go through with it." He turned to the troops and announced, "The old Imperial Firebenders are to be replaced with younger recruits. This way, I can be sure that they will be loyal to me alone, and not my father."

"But what about our men, Fire Lord?" demanded Menshao, not even trying to conceal his contempt and spite for Zuko. "Where will they go? How will they provide for their families? Have you thought _that_ through, _your Majesty?_" Menshao practically spat out the last two words, perverting one of Zuko's honorary titles into something disgusting and vile that was only worthy of scorn, not praise and admiration.

"If you would calm yourself, Colonel," warned Zuko, his scar menacing in the dim shadows that the flames of his dais imbued on him, "I will explain. All of these men will be compensated for their services over the years to both my father and to myself, and I will find jobs for them anywhere in the Fire Nation that will suit their particular skills and needs. I can assure all of you that you will still be well looked after and that you will still be treated with the same dignity and respect that is due to you.

"However," he added with a raised finger, "there is one person among you that I intend to keep in order to maintain control over the new recruits."

"Who, my Lord?" questioned Shunjin, causing the Fire Lord to look over at him. When Shunjin realized that Zuko's gaze was still lingering on him, almost as if they were picking him out, his eyes went wide with astonishment. "…Me, my Lord?" he disbelievingly asked, sending a shockwave of surprise throughout all the Imperial Firebenders.

"Yes," simply nodded Zuko. "I hereby promote you to the rank of Colonel. You will fill the void that Menshao will leave behind after I discharge him and the rest of the Imperial Firebenders." Shunjin was torn apart, not sure if he should be happy for his promotion or saddened by the fact that he wouldn't be able to join his men in honorable discharge.

Menshao, on the other hand, had already made up his mind on what to feel: absolutely _livid_ rage. "You traitorous whelp!" he roared, making Zuko look over at him. He broke out of the procession and faced his men as he angrily gestured to Zuko, saying, "This is what we have been left with, men! A Fire Lord who betrays his own Imperial Firebenders, his _personal bodyguard_, without even a second thought!"

"Control yourself, Menshao!" ordered Shunjin, who also broke out of the procession to better face the former Colonel. Menshao snarled as he whipped around to face Shunjin, dropping into a Firebending stance. Zuko nervously glanced around the body of troops, seeing many of them drop into fighting stances of their own and collecting into separate pockets of combatants, not knowing who was fighting who or for what they were fighting for: the Fire Lord or themselves.

"Stand down, men!" ordered Zuko, projecting his voice over the spreading chaos. Fifty plus Firebenders fighting in the Throne Room would be madness indeed, a storm that the Fire Lord wasn't sure he would be able to control. Seeing the aggression in the room not dissipate, he forcefully shouted, "I order all of you to _stand down!_"

"For Fire Lord Ozai!" shouted Menshao, kicking a stream of fire at Shunjin from across the room, erupting the arsenal of tension and hostility into a conflagrating conflict. Shunjin punched through the fire stream, punching a few fireballs of his own in return. The roar and crackle of endless fireballs and fire streams, as well as angry shouts and furious accusations, filled the Throne Room as the Imperial Firebenders turned on one another, clearly separating the supporters of Ozai from the supporters of Zuko.

The Fire Lord could only helplessly look on at the brawl, his amber eyes wide with shock and fear at what his decision had caused: the oldest of friends and comrades turning on one another simply because of the ruler they supported. It was impossible to tell who outnumbered who or who was even winning in this slugfest of an inferno. Suddenly, an Imperial Firebender rushed towards him, shouting as he flew towards the Fire Lord in a roundhouse kick, spreading an arc of flames in front of him.

Zuko heard the Imperial Firebender coming and dropped into a horse stance, crossing his plated arms in front of him as he block the attack, letting the flames wash over him as they lost all of their energy. The attack thwarted, Zuko launched into two roundhouse kicks that spawned arcing flames, quickly dropping into a series of fireball-producing punches. The hostile Imperial Firebender efficiently blocked the arcing flames, not even being fazed as he speedily punched through Zuko's fireballs. The Fire Lord dropped into a sweeping kick, spreading flames across the floor and making the Imperial Firebender lose his balance, toppling him with a mighty stream of fire from his palm.

Zuko, deciding to seize control of the chaotic situation, jumped into the fray, wading into the madness as he tried to discern friend from foe. As he waded, he noticed several of the Imperial Firebenders flock towards him, surrounding him in a protective circle while other Imperial Firebenders tried to break the circle. All in all, it was thirty of his loyal Imperial Firebenders against twenty rogue Imperial Firebenders. Zuko felt relief flood through his body, now knowing just who to attack and who to defend. His loyal Imperial Firebenders allowed him to take potshots at the rogue Imperial Firebenders, their combined might easily taking down each individual rebel with ease. Fire Lord and his personal guard were unstoppable in the fray, dropping all aggressors into a stupor until only Menshao was left.

"Give up, Menshao!" ordered Zuko as his troops surrounded the remaining two combatants, Shunjin continuing to press against the rogue Colonel. "You're completely surrounded, and your rebellious men have all been incapacitated!" Just then, more guards, Zuko's regular infantry, stormed into the Throne Room, having heard the commotion from out in the hallway. They too surrounded Menshao, recognizing that he was the enemy in this instance.

Menshao growled as he whipped his head around to look at his foes, knowing that he was indeed outnumbered. Turning to face Zuko, he lowly snarled, "You are nothing but a shadow of your father, Zuko. You will never be even half the man that Ozai was."

"I'm not my father," stated Zuko, narrowing his blazing amber eyes at Menshao.

"And that's why you must _die_!" screamed Menshao, launching himself forward and blasting a gigantic inferno from his fists, engulfing Zuko in a torrent of cackling and sneering flames. The Fire Lord's troops backed away in fear and shock, keeping a safe distance from the enraged flames. Zuko quickly whipped up a fire shield around his body, gritting his teeth with exertion and trying with all his might to keep the blazing conflagration from overtaking him. It was all he could do to survive.

"Fire Lord Zuko!" cried out Shunjin as the towering inferno grew to monstrous heights. He quickly knocked out Menshao with a blast of fire from his foot, cutting off the flow of energy to the firestorm and dissipating it into thin air. Shunjin looked back to see Zuko kneeling against the ground, his clothes smoking slightly as he shakily got to his feet. "Take Menshao and all of these traitors into custody!" ordered Shunjin, taking control of the situation seeing as how Zuko was still trying to recover. As the remaining Imperial Firebenders and Zuko's regular guards took care of the traitors, the new Colonel ran over to the Fire Lord, placing a hand on Zuko's shoulder as he asked, "Are you all right, my Lord?"

Zuko shook his head, trying to clear his mind and refocus on the situation at hand. Looking up, he realized that he had survived Menshao's attack, and now the traitorous Imperial Firebenders were being detained. Gulping down a nervous breath, Zuko panted slightly and shakily said, "I…I think so." Shunjin sighed with relief, glad that the Fire Lord was unharmed. Looking around at the chaos, Zuko felt guilt and shame grip at his heart. "This is all my fault…" he muttered to himself. "This could have all been avoided, and I let it happen…"

"Menshao was too ambitious for his own good," stated Shunjin, seeking to help the Fire Lord get rid of his doubts. "In time, he might have rallied some, if not all, of the Imperial Firebenders against you." Seeing Zuko still blame himself, his scarred face laced with uncertainty, Shunjin smiled and patted the Fire Lord's shoulder as he said, "I'll talk to the men who are still loyal to me. I'll let them decide for themselves what they wish to do, considering that they are all still loyal to you."

"But what about you?" questioned Zuko as he looked at the Colonel, wondering what Mai would have to say when she heard news of this all-out brawl. In a way, this semi-coup by Menshao and his rebel Imperial Firebenders was an attempt on his life; the second since he had taken the throne. Some of his own _guards_ had tried to kill him, all because of the decisions he was trying to make to improve his reign over the Fire Nation.

"Whatever my men decide," replied Shunjin, "I will stay by your side. I will lead the new Imperial Firebenders and train them to be loyal only to you, Fire Lord Zuko."

Zuko, to say the least, was stunned by Shunjin's sincerity and loyalty, not really knowing that one man could be so undeniably protective and attached to the ruler of his nation. The Fire Lord smiled and gratefully said, "Thank you, Colonel Shunjin."

"It is an honor to serve you, Fire Lord Zuko," smiled Shunjin, patting the scarred teen on the shoulder once more before leaving his side and going off to ensure that the rogue Imperial Firebenders were detained properly.

Zuko looked around at the madness, knowing exactly what his father would say…

"No," Zuko said to himself, clenching his fists so hard that smoke began to pour out of them. "I don't care what he thinks of me." Even in his own mind, he knew that this was a lie. Sometimes, things just got so out of hand that he was nearly tempted to go back to that dark, foreboding prison cell and listen to his father's voice, telling him the things he would need to know to improve himself to both his nation and to his father. But that temptation was a forbidden one; he had ruled the Fire Nation for this long already, and he was determined to reign over his nation by his own hand, not by the slick, deceitful words of a deposed madman.

Shortly after he left the Throne Room, he ran into Mai, who had been running to the scene of the brawl in order to save him after hearing word of it throughout the Palace. "I can't believe you got yourself into another situation like this!" she shouted at him, jabbing a rigid finger into his chest, his eyes unmoving as he stared down at her. "I leave for barely five minutes, and you end up nearly getting toasted by half of your Imperial Firebenders! Do you have any idea of how worried I was about you when I heard that?"

"I do," assured Zuko, taking her hands in his, "and I'm sorry."

"_Sorry_ doesn't cut it, Zuko!" she snapped, narrowing her slit-like eyes at her boyfriend. "You almost got yourself killed _again_! How can I protect you when you throw yourself into danger so readily and so stupidly?"

"It's just the pressures of the throne," reasoned Zuko.

"Well," bitterly retorted Mai, "those pressures are going to end up putting a knife in your back if you aren't careful." She heavily sighed, pulling him into a tight embrace as she worriedly said, "I just can't stand seeing you almost die, Zuko. I don't want to lose you."

He hugged her back, kissing her head as he said, "And you won't lose me. I promise." The two of them stood there for a while, letting their hearts comfort each other and allowing their love to flow in between their souls, assuring the other that all was well again.

Later that day, Shunjin came by and told Zuko that the remaining Imperial Firebenders chose to discharge themselves from his service, instead finding honest work throughout Caldera City. When asked why they would something like that, Shunjin replied, "They wanted this to be their final duty to their Fire Lord. They didn't want to run the risk of turning into their traitorous comrades, and that's why they have chosen their self-discharges; to protect you from themselves."

Zuko admired those men for their choice, knowing that it was the right one for them to make. Shunjin assured Zuko that he would handle the recruitment of the new Imperial Firebenders as well as any possible signs of treachery across all the levels of the guards, leaving the Fire Lord to attend to his own duties. But still, the day's events troubled Zuko, making him wonder what other challenges he would face both within the Palace and from the colonies in the Earth Kingdom. The stresses of his political life were starting to get to him, making him begin to doubt his own abilities and strengths. However, he had Mai to make him feel better about himself, the knife-thrower telling him that things would work out fine in the end.

"I hope so, Mai," he said to her as he stared out at the night sky, deciding whether or not he should pray to the Moon Spirit above for guidance and strength. He dryly admitted to himself that he was going to need all the help he could get. "I hope so…"

* * *

><p>AUTHOR'S NOTE:<p>

Remember my advice, my loyal readers:

_**BUY THE BOOK, AND SUPPORT THE WORK OF THE PEOPLE WHO STRIVE SO HARD TO BRING THIS INCREDIBLE STORY TO US.**_


	13. A Warrior's Loneliness

Man, I am really pumping these chapters out, aren't I? :D Yes, it certainly seems that I'm on a roll now, and there ain't no stopping this Chatanooga Choo-Choo of awesomeness! XD Anyways, enough about me, on with the epicness that is Avatar: The Last Airbender. Enjoy this latest installement, and please review! :D I love all of my adoring fans!

**DISCLAIMER:** I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender. The show and its characters belong to Mike and Bryan, the brillant geniuses behind one of the greatest cartoon shows in the history of cartoons. Their work is legendary, and I salute them for it. I also do not own "The Promise" story, which is written by Gene Yang, and is also the property of Mike and Bryan. I am simply help to spread the news of the upcoming story and do not take any responsibilty for the development of the story itself; I am only going off of what is known thus far.

**A Warrior's Loneliness**

Spirits, his sister and her boyfriend could be so annoying sometimes! Sokka, of course, had no problem with Aang being Katara. She made him happy, he made her happy; it's all good in his book. But, dear Yue and La could they just be so oogierific sometimes! Like the 'sweetie' thing, that dreadfully sappy and utterly cheesy lovey-dovey nickname that Aang just _had_ to come up with one day. And the weird thing to Sokka was that the first time Aang had called Katara that was during a sparring match! _A sparring match_! Everywhere was fair game for the Avatar to dote on the girl of his dreams, and quite frankly, Sokka had to keep from tossing up his oh-so-wonderful lunch of seal jerky _every single time_.

What made things even worse was that Katara was completely engrossed in her new boyfriend! It was like every time Sokka literally turned a corner, he found those two either snuggling, giggling together like love-struck idiots, holding hands, talking that absolutely unbearable sweet-talk to one another, even kissing! Spirits, did those two kiss a lot! And if _that_ didn't give Sokka enough oogies for him to spare, that same sweet-talk would rear its ugly head and accompany that kissing, snuggling, giggling, _everything_!

One day, he asked his father, "Dad, were you and Mom _ever_ as sappy as Aang and Katara are now?"

Hakoda laughed at his son's question before responding, knowing full well how Aang and Katara were with one another. "At one time, yes, back when we were younger. About your age, if not a little older." His sharp ocean-blue eyes shone with fondness, his warm smile a result of his heart and mind going back to the blissful first days he had spent in his relationship with Kya. "She meant everything to me, especially when we were first dating, and I wanted to make her as happy as I possibly could."

"But were you as cheesy as Aang is with Katara? I mean, the guy's so sappy that you could make about a hundred jars of syrup out of him! And that's just the sweet-talk he gives her!"

Hakoda boisterously laughed again before saying, "Well, I will admit that I was a bit of a sweet-heart around your mother."

"Really?"

"Yes," nodded Hakoda. "In fact, on our third date, during the time of the full moon, I took your mother up to the highest glacier point I could find. From up there, we saw so much of the South Pole around our village, the frozen wasteland of ice and snow as well as the nearby ocean gleaming unbelievably bright in the heavenly moonlight. She turned to me and asked why I had brought her up there." Chuckling, he added, "And that's when I said, 'This is our entire world, Kya, and I would give anything to always be with you in it.'"

Sokka face-palmed his face as he groaned. "Okay, that is just _way_ too cheesy."

"In hindsight, yes, but the fact of the matter is still the same: I loved your mother more than anything else in the world, and I made it my dream, my goal, to make her happier than any other guy could possibly make her." Giving his son a knowing smirk, he asked, "Surely you feel the same way about Suki?"

Sokka felt his cheeks flush slightly, darting his eyes down to his hands and twiddling with his fingers. "Maybe…" he muttered.

"Come on, son," lightly prodded Hakoda as he nudged his son's arm with his elbow. "Admit it; you've done some pretty cheesy things for Suki."

"So what if I have?" defensively asked Sokka as he looked back at his father. "She's my girlfriend; it's my job to make her happy."

"Look beyond just being her boyfriend, Sokka. You decided to date Suki because you care about her, because you want to feel connected to her on a deeper level than when you first met her. And she's with you because she feels the same way, because she admires you for your qualities, not just because of the fact that you make her smile and laugh."

Sokka started to put his father's words together, interconnecting each word to the bigger picture in order to add clarity to the statement. "So…it's a good thing that Aang is so cheesy and sappy with Katara?"

"That's one way of putting it," smiled Hakoda. Sokka looked back down at his hands, remembering all the times he held Suki's hands in his, all those sacred moments when her sea-green eyes would shine their brightest. A pang of sadness welled up inside of Sokka's heart, weighing down his soul as he remembered what Aang and Katara had: each other. They were around each other constantly, which only helped to strengthen their bond even further. However, he wasn't so lucky…here he was in the South Pole, while she was back home on Kyoshi Island. Hakoda noticed the lonely look on Sokka's face and concernedly asked, "What's wrong, son?"

Sokka sorrowfully sighed as he let his hands cover his eyes, his voice dropping as he lowly replied in a cracked voice, "I miss her, Dad…I miss Suki."

Hakoda adopted a pitying look as he placed a comforting hand on Sokka's shoulder, saying, "I know you do, Sokka, but you'll see her again." Loneliness and despair welling up inside of his aching heart, Sokka got up and walked off, painful tears threatening to break forth from his quavering eyes. Hakoda said nothing as he watched Sokka walked off, knowing that his son needed some time alone to work out his feelings. Every man needed his time; this much the Chief knew.

Sokka wiped away his burning tears of desolation as he ran to the wall of the village, his booted feet pounding hard into the snow with each step he took. Coming to an entryway in the wall, Sokka ran up the inner staircase of ice, soon finding himself on the upper ramparts watching the moon as it rose higher and higher into the arctic sky. Gripping the ice beneath his gloved fingers, Sokka let a few choked sobs break out of his proud façade, his eyes clenched shut with misery as his stinging tears decorated the gleaming ice.

After a few minutes of letting his grief pour out, he sniffled and wiped his face off with the back of his hand, gazing up at the moon with questioning and wanting eyes. "Suki…" he called out to the vast night sky, letting his shaky voice carry on the frozen winds of fate, "I know you can't hear me, and I don't care if I look like one of those stupid lovers from those stupidly cheesy romance stories, but…I miss you, Suki. I miss everything about you: your smile, your laughter, your confidence, your no-nonsense attitude, your tenderness and strength, your face…everything."

Squeezing the frozen wall beneath him, he pleadingly said, "Please, Suki…don't ever forget about me, no matter how long it is before we see each other again. Even if it's a few weeks, a few months, or even a few years, you'll always be right here." He pounded a brave fist to his chest, trying his best to keep his chin up as to remain somewhat dignified during his heart-felt confession. He suddenly remembered something, nearly slapping himself for forgetting that that was there. He dug into the pocket of his parka, pulling out a golden pendant with two flowing characters engraved into the metal: Faith, and Hope. Sokka smiled when his eyes fell upon it, remembering that she had given it to him that night on the beach just before they dropped her off at Kyoshi Island…

_"What's this?" he asked her, holding up the strange little pendant to the moonlight, trying to discern what it said._

_"It's my good luck charm," he heard her cheerily reply. Looking down at her smiling face and dropping his hands just in front of him, she pointed to the symbols on it and said, "These characters say 'Faith' and 'Hope'. When I was fighting in the war with my girls, I always carried this with me and looked at it when things seemed terrible. It was a way of reminding myself that no matter how bad things may seem, as long as I kept faithful to my warriors and kept hope alive in my heart, things would always work out for the best."_

_"Well, that's good and all," he admitted with a shrug of his shoulders, "but what does this have to do with you giving it to me?"_

_"Isn't it obvious?" she asked with playful incredulity. Pushing his hands closer to his heart, she softly said, "I'm giving this to you so that you'll always have a little piece of me with you, a reminder to always keep your faithfulness to me and to hope for the day when we'll see each other again."_

_"Suki," he said, reaching up with one hand to cup her painted cheek, "I don't need a little pendant to remind me of how much I care about you." He was being absolutely truthful to her, and he could see it in her sparkling eyes and brilliant smile._

_"Just do it for me, you doofus," chuckled Suki, pulling her boyfriend into a hug. "You're a wonderful guy, Sokka, and I honestly can't imagine myself being with anyone but you."_

_"Guess this means you're going soft on me, huh?" he teased her, making her pull out of the hug and give him a sort of 'are you kidding?' look. He kissed her nose and said, "I'll always carry it with me, and I'll have it on me when I see you again."_

_"You better," she playfully pouted, making both of them chuckle as they pulled each other into a tender embrace, letting Yue's light illuminate them in the darkness around them._

Sokka's tears returned, slipping off of his face and onto the pendant, the droplets sliding down the black etched lines of the characters, suffusing a part of himself with both Faith and Hope. He wiped off the precious trinket and replaced it in his pocket, wiping away the tears from his puffy eyes before looking back at the moon, silently praying to Yue to keep Suki safe.

"You'll see her again, Sokka," said a voice from behind him. Sokka whipped around to see Aang and Katara standing behind him, dressed up in parkas of their own, probably out for another one of their romantic nighttime walks.

"How did you-" he began to say, not knowing how long they had been standing there.

"Dad told us you ran off," replied Katara, as if it should have been obvious. "He said you sounded pretty upset about Suki."

"But how did you know where I was?" he asked, turning to face the couple better.

"You always do your best thinking around defensive fortifications," answered Aang this time around. "Plus, you probably wanted a better view of the moon." Sokka let his gaze drift back to the lunar orb, leaning on his arms against the rampart, heavily sighing as he heard the two of them flank him on both sides: Katara on his left, Aang on his right. The Avatar was right: Sokka always could think better when he had the moon locked in his sight, letting the heaviest and most burdening of his thoughts pour out to the spirit of the first girl he had ever loved.

Sokka could feel their worried eyes on him, silently asking him to share his pain with them. Finally, after a few minutes of lasting silence, he softly said, "It's just hard sometimes, you know? Knowing that the person you've given your heart to is somewhere out there, too far away for you to hold close and too near to your heart to forget?"

"I can relate," sympathetically nodded Aang. "That's how I felt about Katara during Sozin's Comet, not knowing whether or not I'd see her again." Katara sweetly smiled at Aang, her angelic eyes dazzling in the mixed light of snow and moon.

Looking at her brother, Katara took his hand in hers as she kindly said, "You'll see her again, Sokka. She's out there right now, wondering what sort of crazy hijinks you've gotten yourself into this time around."

Sokka softly smiled at that thought, quietly saying, "Yeah…she would be thinking that." The loneliness and sadness in his chest began to lift, relieving his constricted heart of the throbbing that his separation from Suki had caused. Wiping away a few stray tears, Sokka looked at his companions with a warm smile and gratefully said, "Thanks, you guys." Dropping his head down a little, he added, "I'm sorry if I seemed like a crybaby just now."

Katara embraced her brother, resting her head against his as she said, "There's no need to feel ashamed, Sokka. We know how much you miss Suki, and it's okay to cry."

"Yeah," agreed Aang as he joined in the embrace, adding his support to Katara's efforts to cheer up Sokka. "It's not good to bottle up your feelings. Sometimes you just have to let it all out." Almost as if taking Aang's advice, Sokka slowly slipped back into a quiet bout of uncontrolled sobbing, his sister and the Avatar silent as they sought to comfort him in his time of loneliness.

* * *

><p>On the island home of the white-faced Earth Kingdom Avatar of centuries past, a young Kyoshi Warrior with sea-green eyes and auburn hair stared forlornly up at the moon, leaning her uniformed arms against the wooden window frame, her gold tassels framing her painted face. The sweet summer wind caressed her body, as if nature was trying to bring some warming comfort to the cold loneliness that dwelled in her heart like an incurable disease.<p>

Training was over for the evening, though Suki still found herself staring up at the celestial sphere of the night, searching for some way for her heart to plead to the Moon Spirit the aches and woes that clouded her mind at times like this. No matter how many times she would take out her frustrations and irritations out on the practice dummies with her katana and fans, nothing seemed to bring respite to the storm of desolation that assaulted her almost nightly.

"Oh, Sokka," she softly said to the moon, as if one of his tribe's patron Spirits could understand her and pass on her message to him, "I miss you so much." She let a small, tender, longing smile play at her lips as she quietly said, "I miss your humor, your handsome face, your tenderness and sweetness, your brilliant mind, your craziness and your kookiness, how everything you do just makes me smile and laugh…everything."

Feeling a few stranded tears slide down her face, she sniffled away her sadness for just a bit as she wiped away the droplets with her gloved fingers, shakily sighing as she miserably buried her face in her hands, yearning for the day when she and Sokka would be reunited. Even though it had been about four or so weeks since she had been dropped off by her friends, every day felt like an eternity without Sokka by her side.

"Suki?" called a soft voice from her left. Suki looked over to see Ty Lee, adorned in her Kyoshi Warrior uniform and signature face paint, standing over by the door, her large gray eyes filled with worry and concern for her friend. "Are you okay?" the acrobat asked as she walked over to her leader's side.

"I'm fine, Ty Lee…" responded Suki, looking away from Ty Lee and down at the ground out the corner of her eye, biting her lip to keep herself from crying again, gripping her fingers together in an iron grasp. She could hear Ty Lee come to a stop next to her, her innocent and bubbly eyes boring into the back of her head and silently questioning her about what was wrong.

"Come on, Suki," gently prodded Ty Lee, placing a supportive hand on Suki's shoulder, "I know something's bothering you. Your aura tells me so."

Despite the aching of her heart, Suki managed to let out a small, almost imperceptible laugh; Ty Lee did have that uncanny ability to read people's auras in order to discern what they were feeling on the inside, since words and facial gestures could be deceptive to the mind. Auras, however, never lied. "What's my aura like?"

Ty Lee was quiet for a few moments, her child-like eyes intensely studying Suki before she said, "It's like a mixture of blue and gray, but the two colors are separate." Cocking her head a little and making her long braid bounce, she added, "You're sad and lonely, but there's also a tiny bit of pinkish-red in there. Hope, I'm guessing? Maybe it's love, but it's hard to tell with all that icky blue and gray muting it out."

"Well, I guess you're spot-on then," glumly admitted Suki, turning her gaze to the heavens again, the stars shining magnificently in her teal-like eyes. "I really miss him, Ty Lee…"

"You mean Sokka?" inquired Ty Lee, taking her hand off of Suki's shoulder and hopping up to sit on the windowsill, turning her face towards Suki so that they could continue to talk. Suki's only response was a sorrowful nod, glittering tears springing to life in her warrior eyes. Ty Lee gently smiled down at Suki and kindly said, "Hey, don't get so down. You know you'll see him again." Shrugging, she added, "Sure, it may be a while, but you'll get a chance to see him again."

"How can you be sure?" chokingly asked Suki, roughly wiping her tears with agitation and utter frustration, biting back her grief before it could surface and ruin her.

"Because love always finds a way," calmly replied Ty Lee, her normally bubbly voice replaced with that of one who was more mature than she let on. Perkily smiling, she added, "Besides, your boyfriend's way too awesome for you two never to see each other again." Suki stared down at her gloved hands with bloodshot eyes, not wanting to affirm that what her friend said was true due to the loneliness welling up inside of her. Seeing how pained and heart-broken Suki was, Ty Lee softly asked, "Have I ever told you how jealous I am of you and Sokka?"

Suki snapped her head towards Ty Lee in surprise, shaking a few tears loose and plummeting them down to the wooden floor below. "What?"

Sensing Suki's confusion, Ty Lee apologetically raised her hands and quickly said, "I don't mean like I don't want you two to be together! You guys are absolutely cute together!" Seeing Suki relax a bit, Ty Lee dropped her hands and explained. "What I mean is that you at least have a special boy, and Sokka's probably the best there is." Glancing down at the grass outside, her voice dropped to a timid whisper as she said, "If anything, I'm jealous of what you, Mai, and Katara have: incredibly wonderful boyfriends who are willing to do anything for the girls they love."

"I mean, think about it," added Ty Lee as she looked out at Kyoshi Bay, watching as the Unagi was hunting some orange-pastel Elephant Koi, the massive water serpent menacing and threatening yet mysterious and beautiful in the glow of Yue's light. "Mai's got Zuko, who can be extremely awkward and clumsy at times but is still charming and endearing; Katara's got Aang, that incredibly sweet and loving cutie-pie who's probably the biggest romantic sweet-heart the world's ever seen." Ty Lee looked back at Suki and said, "And you've got Sokka, who just seems like the perfect guy: always cracking jokes, always being that big strong manly-man he thinks he is, but still being sweet and tender with the girl he always holds in his heart, always sticking up for those who matter most to him."

Suki stared wide-eyed at Ty Lee all throughout her discourse; she had never heard such truthful and sincere words flow from the acrobat's mouth before. It was like she understood everything about people, probably due to the fact that her aura-reading abilities pertained to her being able to figure out a person's strengths, weakness, loves, fears, personality, and short-comings. "Why are you saying all of this, Ty Lee?" she cautiously asked.

"Because I understand how you feel," sympathetically replied Ty Lee, hopping off of the windowsill and walking forward. Suki watched as Ty Lee smoothly flipped herself over, walking on her hands around the training room as she said, "When you're lonely, the whole world feels like it's upside-down, like everything's backwards and messed-up in the worst way possible." Pushing herself off the ground and jumping back to her feet, she walked back over to Suki and added, "But when you're with someone you really care about, everything just seems so right again, like the world's all fixed up and working again because they're with you."

"But who do you care about, Ty Lee?" asked Suki as the acrobat took her place back by the windowsill.

"My friends," chirpily replied Ty Lee, brightly smiling at Suki and her big gray eyes sparkling adorably in the soft moonlight. Suki was surprised by Ty Lee's answer at first, but soon she found herself smiling, knowing that is was indeed a Ty Lee answer. Remembering something, she reached into the pocket of her uniform and pulled out a small, wooden object. Holding it in the palm of her hand, she recalled the smooth, intricate, though somewhat crude, piece of carved Oak-Mahogany that was supposed to be a heart but was instead shaped to be a fan. Suki chuckled down at the small object, eliciting a confused look from Ty Lee. Noticing the object, Ty Lee curiously asked, "What is that?"

Suki's eyes filled with fond tears, remembering how she had asked that very same question to Sokka that night on the beach before she returned home…

_"What is that?" she amusedly chuckled as Sokka held out the dinky wooden object for her to see. She had just given him her good luck pendant, and now he had just given her this…whatever it was supposed to be._

_"Can't you tell?" he asked, quizzically cocking his head as if she had just asked him if he was an Earthbender. "It's a heart."_

_"No, it's not," she pointed out with a teasing smirk, pointing to the object in his hand. "It looks like a fan."_

_"How?" incredulously asked Sokka, holding up the object closer to his eye for him to examine. "See?" he said, jutting a finger down at the bottom of the object. "It's pointed on the bottom and curves up at the top."_

_She laughed and took the object from his hands, snickering as she tapped the crest of it and said, "There's no dip here, Sokka. Without the dip, it looks just like a fan."_

_"Fine," relented Sokka as he slumped his shoulders, giving her innocent Seal-pup eyes as he said, "but can't you just pretend it's a heart? I worked really hard on it, and I wanted to give you a little something to remember me by."_

_"Of course I can, Sokka," she warmly replied, clasping the wooden heart-fan in her fingers and holding it close to her chest, smiling as she felt it touch near her own heart. "I absolutely love it." He smiled affectionately at her, his handsome cyan eyes peering straight into her soul with tenderness and love._

"A token of Sokka's love," she managed to get out, her tears pouring out of her eyes like a full cup and sprinkling the heart-fan, making it shimmer in the graceful beams of moonlight. She closed her eyes and fingers, bringing the heart-fan closer to her chest and hugging the wooden trinket for all it was worth, hoping that Sokka could feel her heart sing to him all the way from Kyoshi Island. Ty Lee couldn't help but tear up a little at the sight of her best friend, for that was what she considered Suki, smiling and crying so preciously over the boy she loved, wishing she was lucky enough to experience such wonders.

* * *

><p>AUTHOR'S NOTE:<p>

(Additional Note Added 1/19/2012)

Yeah, you gotta sift through another one of these again. :P After the feedback I got from the author's note I put in "Flawed Ideals", I decided to do one here as well.

*Ahem*

Can my writing seem a little..._tiring_ at times? I mean, I know I use a lot of description in my writing, but do you all think it's _too much_ description? Does the description, or possible over-description, make me seem predictable as a writer? I know this seems like a silly thing to ask, but I want to hear your honest opinions.

Again, thank you in advance for your cooperation, and have a pleasant day.

(End Additional Note)

Remember my advice, my loyal readers:

_**BUY THE BOOK, AND SUPPORT THE WORK OF THE PEOPLE WHO STRIVE SO HARD TO BRING THIS INCREDIBLE STORY TO US.**_


	14. Bitter Disappointment

And now we get back to everyone's favorite blind Earthbender, the mightily awesome Toph Bei Fong! :D Doing as much writing as I can with school going on and such, but I shall not abandon you, my loyal fans. :) Anways, enjoy and review! :D

Oh, guess what, everyone? My copy of "The Promise: Part One" just shipped out from this morning, and it should be here by the end of the month! :D *Insert fanboy squeal here*

**DISCLAIMER:** I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender. The show and its characters belong to Mike and Bryan, the brillant geniuses behind one of the greatest cartoon shows in the history of cartoons. Their work is legendary, and I salute them for it. I also do not own "The Promise" story, which is written by Gene Yang, and is also the property of Mike and Bryan. I am simply help to spread the news of the upcoming story and do not take any responsibilty for the development of the story itself; I am only going off of what is known thus far.

**Bitter Disappointment**

"Yep, this is the life," Toph said to herself, smiling up at the noon-time sun with her feet propped up on a rock, leaning back against a boulder and her arms folded behind her head as she listened to the builders hard at work constructing her school.

The Bei Fong Metalbending Academy, which is what she decided to name it, was situated up on a cliff just outside the city's southern gate, snuggling just nicely in between two adjacent cliffs. Down at the bottom of the stone staircase that ascended up to the plateau was the entrance arch, which was primarily situated between the two accompanying cliffs. About twenty feet upward was the flat plateau itself, which had a lush forest just behind it. Work on the entrance arch had just been completed yesterday, and now the builders were focusing on the school itself, raising the wooden skeleton walls up and leaving the earth below as the foundation and floor.

Toph closed her sightless eyes and contently sighed, sinking about an inch into the rock that she was resting on. She felt something land on her nose, a small fluttery thing that she could only describe as a Butterfly-Moth. She had felt them before in her travels whenever she would make camp and found them resting in the trees and grass. Instead of twitching her nose and dispatching the insect to the wind, Toph merely smiled and said, "Guess I'm not the only one around here feeling lazy, huh?" She felt a feathery gust of wind on her face as the Butterfly-Moth idly flapped its wings, making her snicker a little as the tiny burst of air tickled her skin.

"Master Toph?" called a deep, rough voice from down the path. Turning her head towards the noise, Toph felt the Butterfly-Moth take wing as she put her feet on the ground, sending out a quick shockwave in the direction of the voice. What she felt was a strong and sturdy, well-built man walking up towards her, determination emanating from his heavily calloused feet. As was the usual with her seismic senses, she couldn't make out the face of the man walking towards her, leaving her to only guess what he looked like.

"That'd be me," announced Toph, standing up and turning towards the man, her milky eyes unmoving as he stopped in front of her, feeling his body shift and muscles pulse as he bowed to her.

As the man came out of his bow, he said, "I'm Sushako, head of the main Earthbending academy here in Yu Dao. We have many Earthbending schools here, but I just happen to run the largest one of them all." Raising a rugged eyebrow, he said, "I heard from Mayor Morishita that you wanted to inspect my class and pick out prospective students for your new Metalbending academy?" Sushako was a heavy-built Earthbender with bulging, muscular arms and a large head, which had a flourishing bushy beard occupying most of his face.

"Hmm…" pondered Toph, holding her chin in her hand. "That sounds about right." She dropped her hand as she smirked and curiously said, "I'm wondering what kind of Earthbenders a Fire Nation colony could possibly make."

"The finest that you'll see on this coast, that's for sure," proudly beamed Sushako. Gesturing down the path, he politely asked, "Shall we get going, then?"

"Why not?" shrugged Toph, walking past Sushako and down the path, every undulating and dipping block of stone clear beneath her seeing feet. "It's not like I have anything else better to do."

As Sushako walked up next to her, he chuckled and asked, "I suppose that after saving the world with the Avatar and his friends, there isn't much left to do in the world."

"Oh, there's still plenty going on," assured Toph, keeping her head straight forward and letting her feet be her only guide down the stairs. Cocking her head up a little at Sushako, she asked, "Haven't you heard of the Harmony Restoration movement that Fire Lord Zuko and Avatar Aang have in mind for the colonies?"

"I'm afraid I have," sighed Sushako as they crossed underneath the entrance arch, dropping off of the stairs and onto the ground level with the gate of the city. "It seems a shame to tear down everything our ancestors built up," he glumly stated. "Why," he loudly exclaimed, "my family line goes all the way back to the first Fire Nation colonials! My father was an Earthbender, my mother was a Firebender, and both of my older brothers are Firebenders!"

"That just seems kind of…weird," slowly said Toph, finding it very strange how mixed families existed, especially in a Fire Nation colony, the last place she'd expect that sort of thing. As they passed through the gate to the city, she asked, "So your dad is from the Earth Kingdom while your mom is from the Fire Nation?"

"Well," explained Sushako, "both of my parents have lived in Yu Dao for their whole lives. My mother's bloodline just happens to extend back to the Fire Nation itself, so, in a sense, she is from the Fire Nation."

"Most places I've been to only have families made up of people who already lived there," observed Toph. "Like Ba Sing Se: most people I remember from there were either Earthbenders or nonbenders. Or like my home of Gaoling: most everyone there is an Earthbender. And from what I hear from my friends, the Water Tribes and the Fire Nation itself are pretty much the same story except with Waterbenders and Firebenders. Well, the North Water Tribe has more Waterbenders, but you get my point."

"The colonies are a special place, Master Toph," stated Sushako as the two of them rounded a corner, heading further down the street. "Here, Earth Kingdom citizens and Fire Nation citizens have learned to live in harmony and peace with one another. Mixed families are common here, even encouraged; it's how we help to diversify ourselves and help strengthen our unity as a community at large."

Remembering what Bumi had told her about Yu Dao's metalwork, she tilted her head up towards Sushako and said, "An old friend of mine told me that this city was famous for its metalwork. He said that it was the best in the entire world."

"You bet your boulders it is!" declared Sushako, holding his chin high. "Finest metallurgy in the world, combining both Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation expertise to create metals unlike anything mankind has ever produced." He saw an immensely interested and sly smile come to Toph's lips, causing him to boisterously laugh as he said, "It seems that you're quite interested in what Yu Dao has to offer you, Master Toph."

"Oh, I'm just _dying_ to try out the metal you guys make," smugly replied Toph as she cracked her knuckles, reveling in the popping, tantalizing sound her small joints made as they cracked, thinking to herself just how absolutely and jaw-droppingly _amazing_ it would be to crack, smash, and twist such precious metal underneath her capable fingers. She told Sushako of how she had beaten Bumi during her time in Omashu, leaving him stunned and speechless before her. She could sense his admiration for her greatly increase after that, making her even more proud of herself because of her rare feat.

"So what's the Avatar like?" inquisitively asked Sushako after a while.

"Twinkle Toes, you mean?" questioned Toph, quirking her head up towards her companion again.

"Beg your pardon?" asked Sushako, blinking his confusion.

"My nickname for him," explained Toph with a dismissive wave of her hand. "Long story." She heard Sushako chuckle a deep, hearty laugh down in his chest, as if he were holding back something for fear of offending her. "All right," she firmly said, stopping and planting her feet on the cobblestone road, crossing her arms across her chest as Sushako also stopped and looked at her. "What's so funny?"

"When you said 'nickname'," said Sushako with a teasing smirk, "I thought that you meant like it was your pet name for the Avatar. You know, like what two lovers call each other." It took Toph a few moments to realize what Sushako was saying, her face reddening into a mortified blush as her sightless eyes widening in shock when she pieced together his words.

Toph waved her arms in front of her in a protesting manner as she deniably exclaimed, "Oh no no no no! That's not what I meant!" She crossed her arms in front of her chest again as she said, "I'm not dating the Avatar!"

All throughout her exclamation of denial, Sushako was guffawing and chortling his guts out, adding much more embarrassment to Toph's current situation. "My apologies, Master Toph," he chuckled as he wiped away merry tears, "but I think that the Avatar could consider himself very lucky to have the good fortune of wanting to date someone like yourself."

"Oh please," scoffed Toph, looking off to her right, her pale cheeks still painted crimson, "that's Katara's job. She's the one dating him, after all."

"You mean the Avatar is dating his Waterbending teacher?" surprisingly asked Sushako, having recognized the other name from the many tales he had heard over the course of the past year.

"Yeah," nodded Toph before looking back at Sushako, her cheeks finally cooling down. "He's been in love with her for forever, and she's finally realized her own feelings for him, so naturally, after the whole War thing was said and done with, they decided it was time that they dated."

"Well," said Sushako as he straightened his back, "I certainly hope that those two youngsters find true happiness with one another. The Avatar went through a lot in order to defeat Fire Lord Ozai and end the Hundred Year War." Reminiscently sighing, Sushako continued walking on, Toph following close behind him as he said, "Why, I remember the first day I met my wife. I thought she was an Earth Spirit given human form, she was so amazingly beautiful…"

Toph drowned out the rest of Sushako's drawl about his wife, occasionally nodding and grunting her affirmation every once in a while. She wasn't doing it to be rude; she was sure that Sushako loved his wife very much. It was just to her that once you heard someone go on about the love of their life, you've heard all the rest already. While she was happy for these people, she got tired of listening to what they had to say after a while. She was sure that if Aang was with her, he'd go on and on about Katara to the point where Toph would just want to bury herself as deep into the earth as she could possibly go to escape it.

Though she'd rather die than admit it to any living human or animal, Toph was lonely on the inside. Sure, she had all her friends, but they were all off doing their own things, leaving her all on her own. While she was supremely confident in her abilities and was able to take care of herself, all she really wanted was to have someone to talk to, someone who would take the weight of the world off of her small shoulders, bearing the weight along with her in the lowest of times. What she needed was someone who would stick with her through thick and thin when everyone else was gone, someone to hold her head high when she couldn't proudly hold it up on her own, someone who would hold her and tell her that everything would work out in the end.

What she needed was something more than a friend, something she wasn't sure if she truly needed yet but strongly yearned for…

"After you, Master Toph." Sushako's voice snapped the blind Earthbender back to reality, sending out a sudden shockwave to check her surroundings. She found herself at the front door of a large, dojo-like building, crashing and smashing sounds of crumbling earth emanating from within the structure. Seeing even further with her seismic sense, she found a group of twenty students on the main training floor of the Earthbending academy, all of them going through the various rigid, forceful stances of Earthbending as they moved in sync with one another, summoning boulders and stone pillars at will before sending them back into the ground with a mighty crash of thunderous rock.

Toph silently nodded to Sushako and walked inside, pushing her brooding thoughts to the back of her mind for her to beat into submission later. She stood at the edge of the training floor, letting her presence become known to the students as they slowly began to notice her. She felt a ripple of surprise and astonishment surge through the children as they stopped their Earthbending, whispering to each other in amazed voices and directing their curious eyes towards her. Sushako came up next to her, immediately catching the students' attention as they bowed and simultaneously said, "Good afternoon, Sifu Sushako."

Sushako nodded his approval of their respect before he said, "Class, today we have a very special visitor. Many of you have already heard of who she is: she's traveled around the world with the Avatar and his friends. She's also taught the Avatar how to Earthbend, a feat that many Earthbenders can only dream of." Gesturing to his guest, he announced, "Class, meet Master Toph Bei Fong of Gaoling, the greatest Earthbender of all time."

"Hello, Master Bei Fong," respectfully said the students as they bowed, earning an admirable nod from Toph.

"Like your teacher said," began Toph, folding her arms behind her back, "I did help the Avatar learn Earthbending, and it's because of him that the Hundred Year War is finally over." Tilting her head in the direction of a student off to her right who was scratching the sole of his bare foot, she added, "However, now he and the rest of my friends are working to bring peace back to the world." Placing a hand on her chest, she said, "As for myself, I've chosen to travel around the Earth Kingdom in order to teach a special skill that I came up with during my travels during the War."

Folding her hands behind her back, she cocked her head up at Sushako, her sightless eyes peering past him as she asked, "Do you happen to have any metal around here?"

"Hmm…" pondered Sushako, cradling his bushy beard in a thoughtful hand. "I think I may have an iron bar in my office. I'm friends with the local blacksmith, and that piece he gave me was the first solid bar of metal he had ever forged." Looking down at Toph, he asked, "Would you be able to bend it back into its normal shape when you're done?"

"No problem," smirked Toph, eliciting a relieved and grateful smile from Sushako, who walked off to his office, leaving Toph alone with his students.

As soon as Sushako left, her ears perked up at the sound of low muttering from the back of the gathered students: "Greatest Earthbender of all time? What's so great about her? She's _blind_!"

Narrowing her eyes out of indignation, she forcefully snapped out, "Something you'd like to say to my face, kid?" Every eye in the room widened, looking around to see who she was talking to. Feeling a series of frightened, frenzied heartbeats spread out from the source of the muttering student, she quickly located her target. She slid her foot slightly to the right, making the student yelp as he was slid out of formation. Sliding her foot backwards, she made the earth drag the unfortunate student to the front of the room. As soon as the student was in front of her, she twisted her ankle, encasing his in earthen shackles as she reached up and grabbed his collar, forcing him to look her in her pale eyes.

"N-No, Master Toph!" the student timidly stammered, his nervous sweat reeking like mad in Toph's nostrils. The blind Earthbender, of course, didn't need her advanced senses to know whether or not the student was lying.

"You listen to me and you listen good, kid," she hissed just low enough for the two of them to hear. "I've done things your lily-livered brain could only dream of: I've taught the Avatar Earthbending; I've stormed the Earth King's Palace, taking out his Royal Guards almost single-handedly alongside my friends; I've taken on the Dai Li, the deadliest Earthbenders ever, and _won_; I've come up with a skill that no other Earthbender, not even the Avatar, knows; I've invaded the Fire Nation and fought against Princess Azula herself; and I've even taken down a fleet of airships that were raining down fire on our nation during Sozin's Comet."

Viciously smiling, she added, "And guess what? I did all of those things, even though I'm as blind as I was the day I was born." Smashing his nose against her, she quietly asked, "Is there anything else you'd like to know about me, or should I just Earthbend you up to your neck for all your friends to see?"

"N-No, Master Toph," hastily responded the student, quickly shaking his head. Feebly smiling at her, he squeakily added, "You've made things a lot clearer now."

Toph victoriously smirked, saying, "I knew you'd see things my way." She let go of the student, letting him sigh out of relief before she kicked her heel against the ground, sending the student flying on a small pillar of earth. The student screamed as he flew over the heads of the other students, flying towards the back of the room where he had been standing before. Sighing, Toph raised her arm slightly, making the earth underneath the student's landing reach up slightly and softly catch him, returning him to his standing position and sinking back into its normal state as the student's legs shook with fear.

"What's going on in here?" asked Sushako as he walked back into the room, holding a long bar of pure iron in his hand. Looking around for the disturbance, he added, "I thought I heard screaming."

The other students, those lucky enough to not get on Toph's bad side, were reluctant to answer, so the blind Earthbender answered for them. "I was just demonstrating a little Earthbending on one of your students," she casually replied, innocently folding her arms behind her back again. "He was such a willing volunteer," she added with a sly smirk, gesturing to the panicked student she had sent flying, "and he was so helpful to me." Much to her relief, she could hear a few of the other students snicker, obviously amused with how well she was handling the situation.

"Well, be careful next time," warned Sushako as he handed the bar to Toph, who took it out of his hands. "My students are good, but they're still learning; I don't want them to get overwhelmed by the advanced skills that you have."

"Of course," toothily grinned Toph in assurance before turning back to the students. Holding the bar out in front of her outstretched arms, Toph loudly said, "Now, what I'm about to teach you is something that not even the Avatar knows. Pay close attention." A hush settled over the students as they waited for her to begin her demonstration. Toph relaxed her body, allowing all of her energy to focus on the linked bonds of the metal, seeking out any tiny fragments of stone or earth that had melded into the metal during the forging process. She steadily inhaled through her nose, coolly exhaling through her mouth, sending all of her Earthbending senses into the iron bar.

Suddenly, she grabbed hold of every speck and fragment of rock in the metal with her chi, heavily grunting as she effortlessly bent the bar neatly in half, resulting in an astonished gasp that rippled throughout of the crowd of students. Holding up the folded bar in one hand, she held it up for the students to see as she said, "It's called Metalbending. It works by using the forged rocks inside of the metal in order to bend it. Once you have a hold of the rocks," – she bent the bar back to its normal shape, leaving it as perfect as it was before – "the metal listens to you, and you can bend it however you want."

"But what's the point of this, Master Toph?" asked a student from the far right corner of the room. "I mean, why are you here showing us this?"

"I'm glad you asked," replied Toph as she hoisted the bar against her shoulder, letting it lean there. Putting her free hand on her hip, she added, "I'm going to hold this bar steady in between my hands, and anyone who can punch it hard enough and make it bend will be enrolled in my Metalbending class." Just as she felt the excitement build up in the hearts of every student, she held up a finger and added, "However, the metal will only bend if you have control of the rocks inside of it. If anyone feels that they don't have the skills or the guts to bend this metal, raise your hand now."

Not a single hand went up.

"We're Earthbenders, Master Toph," firmly said a heavy-set boy from the middle of the crowd, puffing his chest up with pride. He had a square-like face and tan skin, with shaggy black hair framing his brutish face. "We don't back down from challenges; we take them on and smash them into dust!" To emphasize his point, he tore a chunk out of the training floor and forcefully broke it against his face, bellowing and stamping his feet like a Buffalo-Ox as his classmates cheered him on.

"Ha!" laughed Toph. "I like this kid!" She motioned to him as she said, "You got spunk, kid; you'll go first!" The boy's classmates broke into thunderous applause and cheers as he straightened up, holding his chin up with great confidence.

"Yes, Master Toph!" The boy shot himself up on a small pillar of earth, flying over the heads of his classmates and landing heavily in front of Toph, cracking the stone floor slightly as his large feet hit the ground. The boy bowed and said, "My name is Jiangu, and I will be your first Metalbending student."

"We'll see, Jiangu," said Toph with a sly grin, moving over to his right and facing him as she held the bar in a vertical position with her hands. Jiangu dropped into a horse stance as he faced Toph, setting his jaw and pouring all of his energy into his muscles as he prepared to bend the metal.

As Jiangu was preparing himself, Toph could hear his classmates cheer him on:

"Show that metal what you're made of, Jiangu!"

"Make Yu Dao proud, big guy!"

"Show Master Toph why we call you 'Jiangu the Sturdy'!"

"Class, settle!" ordered Sushako as he raised his arms. "Now I know you're all excited, but Jiangu needs to focus!"

"No need to worry, Sifu Sushako," assured Jiangu with a smugly overconfident smile. "I'm _always_ focused."

"Then prove it!" challenged Toph, bracing her feet into the stone below to keep from being thrown back in case Jiangu accidentally Earthbended instead of Metalbended. "You talk big, kid, but do you have the guts to back up that big mouth of yours?" She heard Jiangu angrily snort and widen his horse stance even more, and she knew that her attempts to get him riled up were working. "Do it, kid! Prove to me that you're a real Metalbender!"

Jiangu roared, practically making the floor vibrate as he punched out with his right fist. His large knuckles forcibly collided with the metal, sending out a clear ringing sound as bone meet iron. However, the metal didn't bend even a fraction of an inch, and a hushed quiet fell over the other students as they waited for Jiangu's reaction. The sturdy Earthbender's face was rock-hard for a few tense moments before it began quivering, his solid eyes filling up with painful tears as he managed to squeak out in a high-pitched whisper, "Ow…"

Toph irritably growled, not pleased with the result, and commandingly shouted, "Again!"

"Hah!" Jiangu punched with his left fist this time, only to produce the same result as his right fist. The metal didn't bend at all under his mighty force, leaving only Jiangu's sore red knuckles as a consolation prize.

"Hit it until it bends!" ordered Toph, narrowing her pale eyes at the stubborn piece of metal in her hands. "Listen to the rocks inside as you punch the metal!" As Jiangu continued to wail on the metal, Toph tried to sort out why he couldn't Metalbend: he had the right stance, the right conviction to bend, the right determination, the right _everything_. Her eyes widened, realizing what was wrong:

He wasn't truly listening to the metal; all of his energy was going into forcing the metal itself to bend, not the rocks inside of the metal.

"Stop!" she firmly ordered, causing Jiangu to drop his stance and rub his sore knuckles, grimacing at the pain emanating from them. "You're not listening to the earth inside the metal," she explained with an edge of agitation. "You're too focused on getting the solid metal itself to bend instead of focusing on bending the _rocks_ inside the metal."

"But, Master Toph-" Jiangu began to protest.

"But _nothing_, kid," interrupted Toph, letting her authority overtake the boy's arguments. "You need to work on your Earthbending some more until you can _feel_ the rocks inside of the metal. If you aren't connecting with the earth, no matter what shape it's in, you can't Metalbend." She pointed back to his spot on the training floor and said, "Get back to your spot, and let another one of your classmates have a shot."

Cowed, Jiangu hung his head down in shame, dejectedly murmuring, "Yes, Master Toph…" The other students stared in shocked silence as Jiangu shuffled back to his spot, a few sorrowful and disappointed tears streaking down his face.

"Now," said Toph, sidling herself up and moving her head to gaze back out at the students, "who's next?"

For the next hour, Toph tested the rest of the students one-by-one, only to end up with same result: sore and bloody knuckles that accompanied heart-broken and upset Earthbending children. With each failure, Toph was losing her patience one ragged fragment at a time, scowling even more angrily with frustration as each student went back to their spot on the training floor.

Once the last student went crying back to their spot, Toph growled as she threw the iron bar back to Sushako, who clumsily caught it as she stamped her foot and bellowed, "You call yourselves Metalbenders? I can hardly even call you weaklings _Earthbenders_! You're supposed to be listening to the earth at all times, but none of you guys could find a pebble in the middle of the _desert_!" The students collectively held their heads down in shame and embarrassment, and even a few of them were openly sobbing at her grating words.

"Master Toph!" shouted Sushako, clearly outraged by her harsh words towards his students. "I won't have you berating my students like that! They're all fine Earthbenders, the lot of them!"

"Ha!" scoffed Toph, whirling around to face the enraged teacher. "They may be able to _force_ the earth to listen to _them_, but _they_ don't listen to the _earth_." She began to walk out, leaving Sushako sputtering as she shouted back over her shoulder, "Either you get them to listen to the earth better, or else don't bother coming to me again!"

"Gladly!" exclaimed Sushako, giving her one last glare before turning back to fix the damage Toph had wrought on his students.

As Toph stomped back to her own school, she did feel a pang of guilt surge through her. As much as she hated yelling at the students, she knew she was right; they couldn't be true Metalbenders unless they listened to the rocks inside the metal as they punched it or attempted to bend it. Without the ability to listen to the earth itself, they could never be Metalbenders.

She stopped in the middle of the street, sightlessly gazing down at the ground with mournful eyes as she heavily sighed. She knew how Katara would chastise and admonish her for being so harsh with the students, how Aang would be trying to get her to calm down with soothing and placating words, how Sokka would be right there with them cheering her up, saying how she would find other students, and how Zuko would say that she was right in saying what she had said.

Loneliness filled her heart and soul to the brim, making her realize just how much she missed and needed her friends. As much as she valued her independence, she was still part of an unbreakable team.

She bit back bitter tears as she ran back to her school, refusing to let her frustration and anxiety get the better of her. One way or another, she would make all of her friends proud with her Metalbending school. One way or another, she would show Yu Dao who she really was and why they shouldn't mess with her.

One way or another, Toph Bei Fong would get her own way by her own two hands. She was an Earthbender, the best in the entire world; she never backed down from a challenge, no matter how daunting the task.

* * *

><p>AUTHOR'S NOTE:<p>

(Additional Note: Added 1/25/12)

All right, my fellow Avatards, now we all now that the first part of "The Promise" was released on Wednesday, January 25 (the day I'm writing this note on). Taking that into consideration, I sincerely hope that you'll continue to read this story even though you'll have the actual book or have already seen the whole leak before today. I'm doing this story for all of YOU, my fellow fans who will be wanting to know what happens during that one year time span that takes place in the graphic novel.

Also, I will be writing fanons for the entire "Promise" trilogy in hopes of expanding on the canon story beyond what's shown while keeping true to the actual story. Right now, I'm at 90 reviews, 27 Favorite Stories, 19 Story Alerts, and over 6686 hits on "The Promise: Part One". That alone shows that people are interested in what's going on in "The Promise", but I implore all of you to stick by me as I continue to novelize "The Promise" for the whole Avatar fandom; yes, you'll have the actual book in your hands, but can't a great story be made EVEN BETTER by an author you all know and love?

You've all been absolutely wonderful to me by following this story, whether you're a fellow user or just an anonymous reader, and I dearly hope that you'll continue to follow me on this fanon as I make my way through all three parts of "The Promise".

Thank you for reading this, and have a pleasant day.

(End Additional Note)

Remember my advice, my loyal readers:

_**BUY THE BOOK, AND SUPPORT THE WORK OF THE PEOPLE WHO STRIVE SO HARD TO BRING THIS INCREDIBLE STORY TO US.**_


	15. Calling Team Avatar

OK, so this one is a bit short, but look at the bright side: you get two chapters in one weekend! :D The next chapter will feature Aang, Katara, and Sokka, but it's going to probably be a SUPER long one. I've got so many ideas to put in there, two of them being my own and two of them coming from my readers, so it may take a while before it's published. Hopefully, it may be up by next weekend. Until then, enjoy what I've given to you so far, and have a pleasant day. :) Oh, and don't forget to review! :D

**DISCLAIMER:** I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender. The show and its characters belong to Mike and Bryan, the brillant geniuses behind one of the greatest cartoon shows in the history of cartoons. Their work is legendary, and I salute them for it. I also do not own "The Promise" story, which is written by Gene Yang, and is also the property of Mike and Bryan. I am simply help to spread the news of the upcoming story and do not take any responsibilty for the development of the story itself; I am only going off of what is known thus far.

**Calling Team Avatar**

Zuko stifled an irritated, ragged groan as he poured over the countless letters on his maroon desk, one hand furiously gripping his groomed hair while the other held the smooth parchment that had come from the Mintao colony that morning. In the few weeks of his return to the Palace, he had sent out official edicts to each of the colonies, explaining what he had in mind with the Harmony Restoration Movement. Needless to say, none of the colonies were thrilled with the plan, as was evident by the letter he was currently reading…

_Honorable Fire Lord Zuko,_

_I am afraid that the Mintao colony will be unable to comply with the orders of the Harmony Restoration Movement. Our home is here in the Earth Kingdom, your Majesty; we have spent generations building up this land so that our children may thrive here._

_To be perfectly honest, Fire Lord, the people of my city, myself included, understand the plight that you and the Avatar have been placed in in regards to the colonies. However, we will not sit idly by while our homes are taken from us and we are forced to relocate back to the mainland Fire Nation. We have sacrificed much to make a life for ourselves in the Earth Kingdom, and to have all that torn apart in a matter of days would be an irreversible shame on our honor._

_My deepest apologies, Fire Lord Zuko, but the Mintao colony will stay where it is, and so shall I._

_May Agni bless you with wisdom and guidance, and may your reign be a long and glorious one._

_With deepest respect and humility,_

_Mayor Taikon_

Zuko dropped the letter onto the fashioned wood of the desk as he rubbed his forehead, growling as he sought to quell his chronic migraines. In every letter from the colonies, their respective mayors had politely, but firmly, refused to comply with the Harmony Restoration Movement. He knew that the letters were only a façade to the true opinions and views of the colonial mayors; he knew that none of them wanted to give up their office in the colonies just to be forced back home to a life and land they barely knew, where they had little to no power of their own.

Not only did the colonies refuse to move back, they gave _reasons_ for not moving back: claims on farmland; constant growth of the colonial population; continued positive relations with the native Earthbenders; agreeable and profitable trade agreements with merchants around the country. The list went on and on, each one driving another nail into the Harmony Restoration Movement.

The flame of his reading candle flared and dimmed as he tried to keep his breathing steady, the small crimson flame dancing along with the constant rhythms of his body. Catching the quivering flame out of the corner of his good eye, Zuko looked up at the candle, finding himself fixated by the lively movements of the wisp-like fire. In the midst of all the chaos, this simple blip of pure energy brought a sense of order to the young Fire Lord's uneasy mind.

Zuko raised a hand towards the candle, forcing the flame to jump into his palm, submitting itself to the will of his chi. Holding his palm flat, Zuko let his gaze focus on the small flame in his hand, mesmerized by the simplicity and yet untold complexity of his birth element.

He looked over to his right, spotting a window that overlooked the Palace grounds, and decided to walk over towards it, spritely flame still in hand. Letting his eyes wander out the viewport of the window, he spotted the Garden below, the Turtle-Duck pond glimmering brightly in the evening sun. Zuko thought to himself about how peaceful, tranquil, and harmonious the Garden seemed, no matter what time of day it was.

He also thought to himself about how Aang was fortunate to have control over all four elements, balancing all of them within his young frame, to be able to understand the things that made each nation separate and unique. He looked down at the flame in his hand, remembering something his Uncle Iroh had told him long ago…

_It is important to draw wisdom from different places. If you take it from only one place, it becomes rigid and stale._

Thinking of something, Zuko allowed his chi to suffuse itself into the flame in his hand, stoking it into a healthy and vivacious fireball, which he let drift out of the window. He watched as the fireball came to rest high over the garden, the gusting wind around it involuntarily stoking it and making it slightly larger than under the influence of his chi. The grass below seemed to sway almost imperceptibly under the minute waves of heat coming off of the fireball, as if the earth was grateful for the life-giving heat and light. A bright spot of shone on the pond, the reflection of the fireball glittering and glossy on its mirror-like surface.

_Understanding others, the other elements, the other nations, will help you become whole._

"All of the elements, working together…" Zuko quietly said to himself, piecing together his thoughts into a more coherent statement that was sure to give him conviction. He had been trying to go about this whole business with the colonies all on his own, a lone flame that tried to the light the way through the dark fog but found itself being snuffed out time and time again. However, with the other elements, the shifting and free perspective of Air, the communal calmness and cohesion of Water, and the sturdy fortitude and resolution of Earth, his own Fire would burn bright, lighting the way for a new future for the Fire Nation.

Zuko set his jaw, snuffing out the floating fireball with a swipe of his hand before storming back over to his desk, pushing papers out of the way for him to accomplish his new task. Getting out his writing implements, he knew what he had to do: without the aid of others, his quest to remove the colonies would surely fail. He needed to bring other players in, influential people that were more than willing to help and would jump into the fray at a moment's notice, helping him to accomplish what seemed to be an impossible task.

More than that, however, he needed his friends.

He needed Team Avatar.

After setting his writing blocks on the parchment, Zuko dipped his writing utensil into the ink well, stemming it so that it wasn't over-inked, and let his hand drift over the letter as he began to write…

_Dear Aang,_

_I hope you, Katara, and Sokka are enjoying your little trip to the South Pole. As much as I hate to write you this letter, it can't be helped anymore; the colonies are refusing to move back to the Fire Nation, and there's nothing I can do to convince them to do otherwise._

_You'll have to cut your vacation short, Aang. I need you, Katara, and Sokka to come to the Fire Nation as soon as possible, if not as soon as you get this letter. Without you and the others, there's no way that the Harmony Restoration Movement will work, and everything we've fought for, this new peace that's come out of the end of the Hundred Year War, will have been for nothing._

_It's time to get back in the game, Aang. Let's show the world what we can do. I look forward to seeing you and the others when you get here._

_Your friend,_

_Zuko_

_P.S. – When you get to the Capital, wait until the sun is at noon-time before you land in front of the Palace. The leader of my Imperial Firebenders, Colonel Shunjin, will be at the main entrance to greet you along with some of his men. They'll escort you and the others inside, and they'll lead you to me as well._

_P.P.S. – I have gifts for all of you once you get here._

_P.P.P.S. – Tell Katara and Sokka's family that I said 'Hi'._

Satisfied with his letter, he rolled it up, pressing a hot wax seal to the parchment and giving it the seal of the Fire Lord, a five-pronged maroon flame. Looking up at the door, he called out, "Colonel Shunjin." Some of his Imperial Firebenders were standing guard just outside of his office, Shunjin being one of them.

A fully-armored Imperial Firebender appeared in the doorway, his metallic voice filling the office as Shunjin asked, "Yes, Fire Lord Zuko?"

Holding up the letter with his hand, pointing the end of it towards Shunjin, Zuko said, "See to it that this letter gets delivered to Chief Hakoda in the Southern Water Tribe as soon as possible." As Shunjin walked towards the desk, he added, "The Avatar and some of my friends are visiting down there, but I'm sending them this letter asking for them to join me here in the Fire Nation."

As Shunjin took the rolled-up letter from Zuko's hand, Shunjin said, "I'll get our fastest messenger hawk to deliver this letter. It should arrive in the South Pole within two or three days' time."

"Another thing, Colonel," said Zuko just as Shunjin turned to leave. When the Colonel looked back, Zuko said, "My guests will be landing in front of the Palace itself, possibly four or five days from now, around noon or so. Would you and a few of your men be willing to stand out at the main entrance around noon on those days so that you can lead them to me whenever they get here?"

"Of course, my Lord," nodded Shunjin. "Is there anything else that you require of me?"

"No." Waving his hand in dismissal, he said, "You're free to go, Shunjin. Report back to me whenever the letter has been sent to the Southern Water Tribe."

"As you command, Fire Lord Zuko," obediently said Shunjin, bowing in the traditional Fire Nation to Zuko before leaving the office, leaving the young ruler to his thoughts.

Zuko folded his hands, interlocking his fingers together as he rested his elbows on the desk, resting his hands under his chin as he quietly said, "You're right, Father. I can't handle it all on my own…" Smugly smirking to himself, he defiantly added, "But that's why I have my friends to back me up. They're what makes me strong, not you. They're the reason I'll be a great Fire Lord, greater than you ever were."

Pride spread itself on Zuko's face, for he knew that he had the power to forge his own destiny without _any_ sort of guidance from his father. He would prove to be a different kind of man than his father, one who didn't use fear and threats to get his way. He was willing to work with people of other nations to achieve his goals, a fact that would make him stand out from his father.

But the simple joy of going against his father's wishes is what gave Zuko the greatest pleasure of all.

* * *

><p>AUTHOR'S NOTE:<p>

Remember my advice, my loyal readers:

_**BUY THE BOOK, AND SUPPORT THE WORK OF THE PEOPLE WHO STRIVE SO HARD TO BRING THIS INCREDIBLE STORY TO US.**_


	16. Last Moments Down South

Alrighty, then, we're finally moving on with the story! :D This chapter combines four ideas: two of them from me, one from **PandaLily22**, and one from **M****aizeandbluekid**. I'll state what their ideas were at the end of this chapter, but for now just enjoy the awesomeness that is Kataang! XD Now just sit back, relax, enjoy, and review! :D The adventure continues, my friends!

Folks, I've reached a milestone in my work as a fan ficition author. When I uploaded the last chapter, "Calling Team Avatar", I was at 97 Reviews...

Now, I am at 108 Reviews. This is the first time with any of my stories that I have ever broken 100 Reviews, and I can't thank each and every one of those who did take the time to review this story and all of its chapters. The support you've all shown me for this fanon has been immense, and through me you've shown your support for the actual "The Promise" trilogy.

I can gladly say that I am proud and honored to be part of such a wonderful fandom. We Avatards are really one of a kind when it comes to our beloved series, and I'm proud to be a part of it. :)

Oh, and guess what? MY COPY OF "The Promise: Part One" CAME IN THE MAIL THIS WEEK! :D

**DISCLAIMER:** I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender. The show and its characters belong to Mike and Bryan, the brillant geniuses behind one of the greatest cartoon shows in the history of cartoons. Their work is legendary, and I salute them for it. I also do not own "The Promise" story, which is written by Gene Yang, and is also the property of Mike and Bryan. I am simply help to spread the news of the upcoming story and do not take any responsibilty for the development of the story itself; I am only going off of what is known thus far.

**Last Moments Down South**

Sun light, joyously bright and heralding a new day, broke the arctic horizon, painting the white and azure wasteland with orange-yellow fingers as the rays stretched over the village of the Southern Water Tribe, waking the inhabitants to face the recovering world.

Katara happily sighed, leaning to her right and resting her head against Aang's, letting her fingers intimately interlock with his as their legs dangled over the edge of the defensive wall, the two of them sitting on the very edge of the parapet without fear. The young couple felt more peaceful in the few weeks they had been at the South Pole then they had ever been during the War, and their love blossomed under the fertile rain of tranquility that the South Pole provided.

Aang widely smiled as he felt the young morning rays strike him and Katara, feeling his inner fire flare to conflagrating life and filling his young body with incredible, indescribable energy. Ever since he had started his romantic relationship with Katara, he had felt more at one with himself than ever before. He knew that it was this unbreakable, resolute bond that he had formed with her, this emotional connected that could withstand even the harshest of life's tempests, that had grown inexorably stronger ever since she had revealed her feelings for him, lifting all of his worries and fears from his already burdened shoulders and making his heart soar with even the most celestial of Spirits.

"It sure is a beautiful sunrise, isn't it?" she quietly asked him, her voice ringing melodiously in his heart, lightly squeezing his hand and nuzzling slightly into his neck.

Aang softly chuckled against her, gently pecking her on the cheek and airily whispering in her ear, "Not as beautiful as you are, sweetie." Her face lit up with a faint, touched blush as she smiled and pecked his lips in return. Both of them treasured moments like this, when it was just the two of them spending time with each other and letting their hearts continue to connect even further than they could have ever imagined.

As the two of them returned their gaze to the rising orb of fire, Katara rested her head on Aang's shoulder, contentedly sighing as she made herself comfortable. Suddenly, out of the blue, her eyes widened and her heart began to pound erratically, leaving her speechlessly frozen as her mind carried her off to a distant time…

_"You heard your mother!" bellowed the intruding Firebender, his crimson-black armor heinous and strange against the comforting blue of her home. "Get out of here!" His cold amber eyes bore into her frightened being, leaving her unable to do anything but shiver with fear._

_She looked down at her mother, who was kneeling before the Firebender, and timidly, with a shaky young voice, said, "Mom, I'm scared…"_

_"Go find your Dad, sweetie," gently ordered her mother, insistence hidden in her controlled tone. She knew that her mother was trying to stay strong for her despite the horridness of what was happening, but it still didn't stop her heart from frenziedly smashing against her little chest. "I'll handle this." Her mother confidently smiled at her, her expression saying that all would be well soon._

_She looked back up at the Firebender with tear-filled eyes, struggling to keep her screams jammed in her throat as she saw him hungrily eye her like some untamed, ravenous dragon, his unfeeling amber orbs piercing her mind and scrutinizing everything that she was or would become after this day. His face was evil itself, evil that had descended upon her home and sought to consume everything with its unquenchable flames._

_She looked back at her mother, who was still smiling that warm, tender, sure smile that she always bore, the smile that made her feel safe and secure in love's firm bond. There was a pleading look to her mother's eyes, begging her to run as fast as she could and get help. 'Dad will fix this,' her mother's eyes said. 'Just go get Daddy, and everything will be fine.' Her smile seemed to say, 'I promise, sweetie.'_

_With one last, longing look at her mother's smiling face, she took hold of her courage, wavering as it was, and ran out of her home, letting her little legs carry her with all the haste that she could muster. Her tears flew into the frozen wind, silent glistening prayers to Tui and La that her mother would be safe._

_Little did she know that she would never see her mother's smiling face again…_

Uncontrolled, rebellious tears slid down Katara's face, dotting her parka with drops of grief as she bit her lip and scrunched her eyes shut. Her fingers trembled against Aang's hand, restrained sobs racking at her chest as she sought to control herself in a losing battle of willpower. Just a stifled sob managed to burst out of her mouth, Aang looked over at her, his stormy gray eyes wide with confusion and intense concern. "Katara, what's wrong?" he worriedly asked her, positioning himself better so that he could fully look at her. "Why are you crying?"

Katara let out a low, wailing moan before she regained control of herself, looking up at Aang with quavering, tear-leaking eyes as she chokingly said, "I…I just realized something."

"What?" asked Aang, perplexed as to why Katara's mood had gone from happy and loving to mournful and grievous in the blink of an eye.

Wiping away her tears with her free hand, Katara softly asked, "You know how we call each other 'sweetie' all the time?"

"Of course," earnestly nodded Aang, unsure of why she would ask something that had been so obviously known to the two of them for the past couple of weeks. "What about it?"

Her heart heavy with grief and aching pain, Katara managed to say, "'Sweetie' was one of the last words my mother said to me before…before she was killed." She threw herself against Aang, tightly wrapping her arms around his shoulders and burying her head in his strong chest as she began to sob again. Aang, needless to say, hugged her, soothingly rubbing her back as he sought to comfort her.

"I'm so sorry, Katara," he murmured into her hair as she wept into his parka, her voice muffled against the cerulean fabric. "I didn't know." He knew all too well the story of how Katara's mother had died, but Katara never did tell him what her mother's last words to her were. After ten minutes, Katara was finally calm enough for him to talk to again. Holding her at arm's length and cupping her face in his hands, he said, "Katara, if it helps you, I won't call you 'sweetie' anymore. I couldn't stand to see you in pain every time I would call you something that was one of your mother's last words."

Despite the turmoil within her, Katara managed to sweetly smile at his words, placing her right hand on his as she said, "Aang, I don't mind you calling me 'sweetie'. I just want you to understand that that word means a lot more to me personally than just some cute pet name we call each other. It was one of the last words that my mother said to me before she died, and even to this day I can still hear her calling me 'sweetie'."

"I understand, Katara," assured Aang with a firm nod. "It was one of the last positive things you remember about your mother, and that's why that word has a much bigger meaning for you than anyone else in the world." Resting his forehead against hers and chastely kissing her lips, he said, "I promise that I'll treat that word with respect and honor, in memory of your mother."

Katara softly laughed and closed her eyes, quietly whispering, "Oh, Aang…you're too sweet." And she truly meant it: her Aang was careful but tender, cautious but supportive, when it came to the subject of her mother, one of the things that she greatly adored in him. Even though he had only met her mother in spirit, the respect and admiration that he held for her mother was beyond words, and it made Katara feel very lucky to have someone who understood her pain and the bond that she had had with her mother before her death.

"Only for you, sweetie," he replied with a charming and sweetly suave smile as she opened her eyes, her heated blush warming up his face with her love and appreciation. He thought of something at that moment, and he chuckled at the little realization that had come to his mind.

"What's so funny?" she asked him with a light smile.

"It's kind of funny, actually," explained Aang, wrapping an arm around her shoulder and returning their attention back to the glowing horizon. Looking back at her, he said, "When I was with Guru Pathik at the Eastern Air Temple trying to open my chakras in order to master the Avatar State, one of the chakras I had to open was the Air Chakra." Katara politely nodded, remembering how Aang had explained chakras to her during their journey in the Fire Nation but was being considerate enough to allow him to speak his mind. "It's located in the heart" – he pointed to his chest – "and it deals with love, but is blocked by grief."

"And you were able to open it because you dealt with grief of losing your people?" inquired Katara, knowing from past experience how much Aang truly missed the Air Nomads.

"That was part of it, yes," nodded Aang. "But Guru Pathik told me that love was a form of energy, always changing and reshaping itself as life goes on. Whenever I lost my people, the love I had for them was reborn when…" He suddenly found himself lost to the ocean-like depths of Katara's eyes, stranded in a sea of love and gladness that he was more than content to let himself drift aimlessly in.

"When what?" chuckled Katara, prodding her boyfriend to continue.

Finding his focus again, Aang smiled and said, "The love I had for my people was reborn when I met you. From the first moment I looked into your eyes, all the love that I held for my people came rushing back into my heart, and that's how I've come to love you like this." Katara broadly smiled at his words, nuzzling into his cheek as he chuckled, knowing that she was touched by what he had said.

"When you put it that way," said Katara as she rested her head on his shoulder, "I guess I could say that my love for you is really the rebirth of the love that I had for my mother."

"Huh, I never thought of it that way," admitted Aang, making Katara chuckle slightly. "But I guess it would make sense: we've both lost people that we loved, and that love was reborn in the both of us." He smiled brightly as he said, "Now look at us, finally together after so long and completing that reincarnated love."

"And I'm glad that my love for my mother was reborn in you," whispered Katara, tilting her head up and locking lips with Aang, passing her gratitude from her being to his. After a few seconds, they parted lips, lovingly smiling at one another as they had done countless times before. "My mother meant everything to me, and so do you."

Aang couldn't help but blush as his smile widened to its signature grin. "Same goes for you and my people: the love I had for the Air Nomads, an entire nation of my people, reborn into the most amazing and wonderful girl that the Spirits have ever put on this planet."

"Oh, stop it, you," she playfully chided as she jokingly pushed him away, sending him into bouts of laughter as she faced away and smirked as she crossed her arms in front of her chest. "You really are too much sometimes." She was, of course, lying to him; she really was blown away by the fact that he loved her like he had loved the Air Nomads, an entire _nation_ of people. The scale was just too much for her to grasp all at once, and yet she knew he had meant what he said. His love for her was indeed large enough to have once encompassed the Air Nomads.

"And is that such a bad thing?" he teasingly retorted as he wrapped his arms around his waist, letting his mischievous fingers tickle at her stomach and making her yelp with surprise.

"Aang!" she squeaked as she tried to squirm away from him, only to have his arms tighten around her and his fingers continue to wreak childish havoc on her stomach. Trying to talk through her laughter, she said, "Don't tickle me!"

"Not until you admit that I'm not too much for you," he slyly shot back at her, increasing the speed with which he tormented her with his prickling fingers. For nearly two minutes, she squirmed, wriggled, and writhed under his attack, but was unfortunately unable to escape her boyfriend's grasp as her mirth caused her laughter to soar out of her mouth like free birds. "Give up yet?" he smirked at her.

"All right, all right!" she was finally able to get out, managing to grab hold of Aang's hands in order to stop his barrage, leaving her breathless and giggling as she pressed herself up against him and nuzzled into his nose. "You're not too much; you're _perfect_ for me."

"I thought you'd see things my way," he wickedly grinned at her, making her laugh and playfully push his head away, sending them both into endless bouts of uncontained laughter. They sat up on the wall for what seemed like hours, simply talking the morning away with the one they held closest to their heart.

After about an hour and a half, Aang looked over at Katara and said, "You know what I was thinking?"

"Thinking's dangerous for you, Aang," joked Katara, chuckling as the Avatar sardonically rolled his eyes.

"_As_ I was saying," continued Aang, ignoring Katara's comment, "I was thinking that since we're treating the word 'sweetie' in such a special way, we could come up with a bunch of other pet names as well, ones that aren't nearly as special or precious as 'sweetie' but would still mean something to us."

"All right," nodded Katara with a smile, liking Aang's plan. "You first."

"That's too easy," grinned Aang, leaning closer to Katara. He pressed a long kiss on her lips, making her smile and moan with irrevocable pleasure, and affectionately said, "Forever Girl. That's one I came up with during the War."

"When?" speechlessly asked Katara, her face flushed with embarrassment.

"Just before the Day of Black Sun," replied Aang. "Remember when I told you that I had that daydream of living underwater?" She nodded, copper cheeks tinged crimson, making him dreamily smirk. "I was really having a daydream where I was kissing you and saying, 'Baby, you're my Forever Girl.'"

Despite her racing heart, Katara burst out hysterically laughing, falling backwards onto the rampart as she clutched her midsection with mirth. She couldn't help it; the whole thing seemed so ridiculous for it to be true, and yet she knew that he was serious. She couldn't imagine how she would have reacted if he had said that before the Invasion, but now all she could do was laugh and think of how now that it would indeed be characteristic of Aang to do that.

Finally coming out of her laughter, she wiped away her tears and sat back on the rampart next to Aang, who seemed to have been pouting all throughout her reaction. "I'm sorry," she chuckled, pecking him on the cheek. "It's just…_really_? _'Baby, you're my Forever Girl.'_? Do you have any idea of how completely cheesy that is?" Disappointment spread itself across Aang's face, much to her embarrassment.

"Well, I thought it was good at least…" he half-heartedly muttered, twiddling his thumbs and glancing away from her with a somewhat forlorn frown.

Katara softly smiled at him, knowing full well from her experience with him that he was always trying to be sweet and loving towards her, and his cheesiness was one way of him doing that. Enveloping him in a hug, she kissed the side of his face and whispered, "Don't look so glum, Aang. I love that pet name."

"Really?" he hopefully asked, turning back to her with a relieved smile.

"Really," she assured him as she separated herself from him, interlacing her fingers with his once again as she smiled. "All right," she continued, "now it's my turn." Aang nodded, staying silent as Katara thought of pet names that she could think of for Aang. "Hmm…" she thoughtfully pondered, looking Aang over with scrutinizing eyes. "How about…Little Sparrowkeet?"

"Why that one?" asked Aang, though his smile showed that he liked it already.

"Because you love flying, just like a Sparrowkeet does," responded Katara, "and your laughter is just like a Sparrowkeet chirping in the middle of spring." Smirking, she added, "And you're cute, just like a Sparrowkeet." She chuckled at his ensuing blush, his smile warm and amorous.

"In that case," said Aang as his face mercifully cooled down, "you're my Little Koi Fish."

"No need to explain there, I guess," chuckled Katara. "The Ocean and Moon Spirits are both Koi fish in their mortal form, so it connects to my Waterbending."

"Exactly," nodded Aang. He spent a few moments thinking before saying, "How does Ocean Girl sound?"

"It sounds wonderful, Aangie," sweetly responded Katara, coming up with another pet name in her response.

"Hey," said Aang with realization, "'Aangie' was what the girls on Kyoshi Island called me!"

"So?" questioned Katara with a teasing smile. "I can't use it, Lovebender?" Aang couldn't help but laugh at that last pet name, thinking of how he could add another skill to his list of incredible abilities: Airbending, Waterbending, Earthbending, Firebending, Energybending, and _Lovebending_.

"No, you can use it all you like," chuckled Aang, gently squeezing her hand in assurance. Suddenly, he thought of the perfect pet name, one that was sure to make her blush every time. "Katara," he said in a cool, utterly suave and romantic tone, pouring all of his love for her into his voice, "you're the Moon Lily of my Heart." Sure enough, her entire face erupted into a massive blush, making him victoriously smile.

"Oh, goodness…" amazedly whispered Katara, her eyes wide with surprise but also full of endless and plentiful love. The way he had said that last pet name with such loving conviction and warm determination in a style all his own was just too enamored and ardently passionate for any song or great literary work could ever hope to capture, and it just sent her heart aflutter with so many countless wonderful emotions she thought she would faint from it all. A smile alighted on her flushed face as she said, "Aang, that…I don't know what to say."

"How about that the two of you are making me sick!" shouted a voice below them, shattering the romantic moment like a pesky rock smashing against a delicate window pane. Aang and Katara looked down at the ground to see Sokka standing at the foot of the wall, his arms irritably crossed in front of his chest as he scowled at the two of them. "Seriously, you two," he continued, making Katara glare in annoyance at him, "I've only been standing here for like a minute, and all your cruddy oogies are already starting to give me a headache!"

"What do you want, Sokka?" fumingly snapped Katara, upset and frustrated with her brother's always untimely interruptions. "Can't you see that Aang and I are busy?"

"Busy giving me oogies?" shot back Sokka, making his sister angrily growl at him. Having had enough of his fun, Sokka put his arms down by his side and said, "Dad and I want to talk to the two of you about something."

"Can't it wait?" asked Katara, pulling herself closer to Aang and never wishing for her special time with him to end.

"No," firmly replied Sokka. "It has to be dealt with _now_." The young couple looked at each other, knowing that there was no arguing with Sokka when he was so insistent.

"I'll get us down," sighed Aang, holding his arms out to Katara. She enveloped herself in his grasp and, both of them taking a deep breath, dropped off of the wall to the ground below. Aang alighted the both of them on the snow with a soft cushion of air, slowing their fall and preventing any injury. Once they were all ready, the three heroes made their way back into the village, Aang and Katara holding hands as they followed Sokka back to the Chief's home.

"What do you think your Dad wants to talk to us about?" whispered Aang to Katara, keeping his voice low so that Sokka didn't hear.

"I don't know," she quietly replied, uncertainty clear in her voice. "I hope something bad hasn't happened to Zuko in the Fire Nation. That would be one of the only things that would require both of our attentions."

"True," nodded Aang, "but I guess we'll find out once we get there." Squeezing her hand, he whispered, "But whatever happens, I'm staying right here with you, Ocean Girl."

"I wouldn't have it any other way, Little Sparrowkeet," softly replied Katara, smiling brightly at him as returned with a wide grin of his own.

Soon the three of them were at Hakoda's house, and they all slipped inside, where the Chief sat waiting for them on a couch. Noticing the children come in, Hakoda perked up and said, "Ah, good work, Sokka. I'm glad you got both of them to come here."

"I didn't give them much choice," shrugged Sokka, taking his place over by his father and sitting on the floor while leaning back against the couch. Eyeing Aang and Katara, who were still standing, the young warrior quirked his eyebrow and said, "Well, are you guys gonna sit or what?" The young couple sat on the floor just a few feet away from the couch, still holding hands as if to assure the other that everything would be all right.

"What's going on?" asked Katara, unsure why this sudden meeting was taking place.

"Is something wrong?" added Aang, also letting his concern shine through.

"In a sense, yes," nodded Hakoda, resting his chin on the back of his folded hands. Seeing the young couple's confusion, he added, "The reason why I wanted to talk to you two is because...well, the problem is the two of you." Both Aang and Katara's eyes bulged with shock, their hearts thundering into the ice with such ferocity and strength that they were sure that the ice would crack under the pressure.

"What do you mean?" demanded Katara, letting a trace of anger enter her voice as she angled her eyebrows downward. Taking on a firm and stern tone, she added, "I thought you didn't have any problem with me being with Aang, and now you're saying there's a _problem_ with the two of us being together?"

"Just calm down, Katara," placated Hakoda with raised hands, seeking to make peace with his daughter. "I've already given you my blessing to be with Aang, and I have no intention of going back on that blessing."

Letting out a mental sigh of relief as Katara relaxed beside him, Aang asked, "Then what's the problem? Katara and I are getting along just fine; there shouldn't be any reason for there to be a problem."

"Unless you count the problem as you two being _way_ too oogierific in public," reasoned Sokka, folding his arms behind his head.

Aang and Katara both incredulously stared at Sokka, thinking that he had lost mind; knowing him, it was hard to tell where his mind was at any given time. "Care to elaborate a little more, brother dearest?" asked Katara, not even bothering to hide her irritation at what he thought the problem with her and Aang was.

"Why, it would be my pleasure, dearest sister of mine," replied Sokka with a coy smile, obviously liking how he was getting his way. Gesturing to the couple, he explained: "Look, Dad and I are glad that the two of you are getting along so well now that you're dating – believe me, we really are – but both of us feel like maybe you two could…_tone down_ your little displays of public affection. And by 'little', I mean basically all that gushy mush you two do whenever you're out in public."

"Why should we?" asked Aang, surprised at how defensive he was getting. Sure, Hakoda and Sokka may be Katara's family, but why should _they_ tell _him_ when and where he could love his Forever Girl?

"Yeah," agreed Katara, "why should we? If Aang and I are together, why should we hide our love for each other?"

"No one's asking you to stop loving Aang," assured Hakoda, leaning forward in his seat. "What Sokka is _trying_ to say is that perhaps, for the sake of those around you, the both of you could keep your displays of affection to when it's just the two of you or when you're with your friends."

"Basically, no public oogies," summed up Sokka. "Just leave the oogies for the times when we're not busy with the Harmony Restoration Movement or not out in public." He chuckled at the glare Katara was giving him at the mention of 'oogies', for his intention was to annoy her as much as possible while she was with Aang.

"Does this all make sense to you now?" asked Hakoda, keeping his gaze fixed on Aang and Katara. "We're not asking the two of you to stop being affectionate with one another; all we're asking is that you keep it yourselves and to your friends. That way, the world doesn't think that Aang is entirely focused on you, Katara, and not on his duties as the Avatar." Even as Aang opened his mouth to protest, Hakoda said, "And Aang, I know you know what your duty to the world is, but I'm doing this to help the both of you out. Whenever you all go to the Fire Nation, spend most of the day focused on your Avatar duties and the Harmony Restoration Movement while you leave the night to be with Katara. Does that sound fair to the two of you?"

Both Aang and Katara pondered Hakoda's words, knowing that, in a way, he was right: they were indeed _very_ openly affectionate with each other out in public, but what Hakoda was worried about was their image. Here they were, the saviors of the entire world, acting like a couple of giggly teenagers who might seemed more focused on themselves than what was going on in the world. Yes, they were still young, but the mantle of responsibilities that had been placed on their shoulders required them to set aside their personal time for a little while in order to focus on the arduously long task of restoring balance and peace to the world.

Finally, Katara sighed and said, "I guess it seems only fair." Looking over at Aang, who also turned to look at her, she asked, "How about you, Aang? Whenever we go back to the Fire Nation, would you be willing to wait for our private time together whenever all our work's done for the day?"

"As long as you're waiting for me with open arms," replied Aang with a strong, sincere smile, "I can wait to spend time with my Forever Girl." She warmly smiled at his compromise, also making the same promise in her own heart to indeed be waiting for him with open arms, ready to receive his love and give him all her love when all serious matters were settled for the day.

Just then, a voice from the entrance of the home said, "Chief Hakoda, sir?" Everyone looked up to see a young man with ruffled black hair and sterling cyan eyes standing by the front door flap, a rolled-up scroll in his hand: Sakumo, one of Katara's Waterbending students. Sakumo looked down and smiled at his teacher, bowing as he said, "Hello, Master Katara."

"Sakumo?" asked Katara, raising an intrigued eyebrow at the presence of one of her students. "What are you doing here?"

As Sakumo came out of his bow, he said, "I was walking by the Communication Tower in the center of town when Master Pakku came up to me and gave me this letter to give to Chief Hakoda." Inspecting the scroll, he added, "I think it's from the Fire Nation."

"How can you be sure?" asked Aang, his attention now completely rapt on Sakumo because of his revelation.

Sakumo looked up at Hakoda, his eyes silently asking for permission to hand the letter over to the Avatar. Seeing the Chief's affirmative nod, Sakumo looked back down at Aang and said, "See for yourself, Avatar Aang." He handed the scroll to Aang, who took it and inspected it for any clues as to whether or not it was from the Fire Nation. Sure enough, Aang's eyes widened when his gaze fell on the crimson, waxen seal on the letter: a five pronged maroon flame, the crown of the Fire Lord himself.

"It's true," breathlessly said Aang, staring in complete shock and amazement of the scroll that he held in his hands. "It's from Zuko himself. Look." He showed everyone else the seal, their eyes also going wide with surprise when they beheld the five pronged flame. Looking back at Sakumo, Aang gratefully said, "Thank you for getting this to us, Sakumo. This was important for my friends and I to see." Aang had meant his thanks to be a signal for Sakumo to leave, but the young Waterbender stayed where he was, albeit nervously shifting his feet around with anxiety.

With a timid and sheepish expression on his face, Sakumo looked over at Katara and asked, "Um, Master Katara…can I ask something of you and Avatar Aang?"

"Of course, Sakumo," nodded Katara, always willing to help out one of her students in any way that she could. "What is it?"

"Well…" began Sakumo, apprehensively rubbing the back of his head while glancing around the room, his tanned cheeks flushing slightly with embarrassment, "you see, Master Katara, uh…there's this girl in your class that I really like, but…I just can't seem to tell her how I feel about her because I get real nervous when I'm around her."

"And would this young girl happen to be Makita?" mischievously asked Katara, wiggling her eyebrows a little as Sakumo's eyes shot wide open and his face became completely flushed.

"Oh…it's that obvious, isn't it?" lowly mumbled Sakumo, rocking back and forth on the balls of his feet as he tried to avoid eye contact with his teacher.

"Oh, puh-_lease_," drawled Sokka, rolling his eyes as everyone looked over at him. "You want obvious, kid? You should have seen Aang during the War. You couldn't have made his crush on Katara any more obvious than if you had made Fire Lord Ozai the Avatar; it's so out of place that you can't help but notice and laugh at it."

"_Sokka!"_ loudly admonished Aang and Katara, both of their faces consumed with mortified, embarrassed blushes: the mortification from the very thought Ozai being the Avatar, and the embarrassment from Sokka having revealed the old days of Aang's crush on Katara, back when he was just an awkward little kid who didn't know how to put his feelings to words when he spoke to said crush.

"Hey," retorted Sokka, defensively holding up his hands, "I'm just sayin'."

Deciding to ignore Sokka, Aang and Katara returned their attention to Sakumo, but not before glaring at Sokka for good measure. Giving Sakumo a supportive smile, Aang said, "Just tell Makita how you feel about her. If she says that she likes you the same way, then go on from there."

"But if she doesn't," added Katara, "then don't worry: you can either move on to someone else or wait for Makita to come around."

"I couldn't possibly like anyone as much as I like Makita," protested Sakumo. "She's sweet, kind, smart, fun to be around…there's no one else like her here in the South Pole. It's like I'm the Ocean Spirit and she's the Moon Spirit: I'm so attracted to her that it just seems completely natural."

"Sounds like the kind of comparison you'd make with me and you," whispered Katara to Aang, both of them chuckling at the thought. Looking back up at Sakumo, Katara said, "Like Aang said, just tell Makita how you feel about her. If you hide your feelings, you'll just end up making things worse for yourself by not knowing how she feels about you. But if she says that she likes you too and both of you decide to date one another, be sure to not be too affectionate with her out in public."

"Save your affection for when the two of you are alone or with friends," instructed Aang. "There are still a lot of single people out there, and you might hurt their feelings and make them think worse of themselves if they see the two of you being affectionate with one another."

"But most of all," added Katara in conclusion, "be true to yourself. Never change who you are for anyone, even if it's Makita. If she really likes you, she'll want you as what you are now and not what she wants you to be." All throughout her and Aang's discourse, Katara saw Sakumo patiently and earnestly listen to their advice, occasionally nodding his head in affirmation.

Once they were done, Sakumo sincerely smiled and bowed, saying, "Thank you for your wisdom, Avatar Aang and Master Katara." Coming out of his bow, he brightly added, "I'm going to go find Makita right now and tell her how I feel about her!"

"That's the spirit, Sakumo!" cheered Aang, helping to spur the Waterbender's courage onward.

"Goodbye!" exclaimed Sakumo as he ran out of the house with a hearty wave, leaving the entrance flap to rustle closed behind him.

"Good luck!" Katara called after Sakumo, hoping that everything would work out for her student."

"Thanks, Master Katara!" she heard Sakumo call back, his voice growing smaller and more distant as he ran on.

As Sakumo's crunching footsteps finally faded away, Aang and Katara turned to face each other, the latter smiling and saying, "Great teamwork there, sweetie."

"Same to you, my dear Moon Lily of my Heart," lovingly responded Aang, picking up Katara's hand and delicately kissing her fingers, making her chuckle and warmly smile. Unbeknownst to them, Sokka groaned his disgust and stuck his tongue out, rolling his eyes as if to avoid the nauseating sight of his sister and her boyfriend's sappiness.

"Not that I'm really sorry to break up the mushy romance," interrupted Sokka, bringing the couple back to reality, "but wasn't there some _super_ important letter from Zuko that we were going to look at?"

Aang sheepishly grinned and rubbed the back of his head with the hand that he had used to hold Katara's hand, his cheeks flushing slightly. "Right..." he chuckled, feeling his cheeks flare even hotter when he saw that Katara's face was much like his: blushing and smiling with tenderness and affection. "Sorry." Breaking open the seal, he unrolled the scroll, holding it up as he read:

_Dear Aang,_

_I hope you, Katara, and Sokka are enjoying your little trip to the South Pole. As much as I hate to write you this letter, it can't be helped anymore; the colonies are refusing to move back to the mainland, and there's nothing I can do to convince them to do otherwise._

_You'll have to cut your vacation short, Aang. I need you, Katara, and Sokka to come to the Fire Nation as soon as possible, if not as soon as you get this letter. Without you and the others, there's no way that the Harmony Restoration Movement will work, and everything we've fought for, this new peace that's come out of the end of the Hundred Year War, will have been for nothing._

_It's time to get back in the game, Aang. Let's show the world what we can do. I look forward to seeing you and the others when you get here._

_Your friend,_

_Zuko_

_P.S. – When you get to Capital, wait until the sun is at noon-time before you land in front of the Palace. The leader of my Imperial Firebenders, Colonel Shunjin, will be at the main entrance to greet you along with some of his men. They'll escort you and the others inside, and they'll lead you to me as well._

_P.P.S. – I have gifts for all of you once you get here._

_P.P.P.S. – Tell Katara and Sokka's family that I said 'Hi'._

When he was finally finished reading, he dropped the scroll into his lap, looking up at his companions with a heavy and foreboding heart. They had the same expression on their faces as him: disbelief, slight shock, but also acknowledgment and reluctant acceptance of the reality that had now thrust itself back into their lives, shattering the peaceful purgatory that they never wised to end but knew had to fade away at some point.

Finally, after a long, disturbed silence, Sokka sighed as he stood up and decidedly said, "Well, I guess that's it then. Good thing we got our things already packed up and put up on Appa a couple of days ago." He glanced down at Aang and asked, "Hey, buddy, any chance you can get Appa here as quick as possible?"

"No problem," nodded Aang, though his voice seemed glum and disappointed at the prospect of having to leave the South Pole. He pulled out his Bison Whistle and blew into it, emitting an airy pitch as he called for his Animal Guide. "It's done," he said as he put away his whistle, as well as the letter, in his pocket and stood up, Katara rising up with him as Hakoda likewise stood up from the couch. The Avatar looked around at his companions, heavily sighing as he said, "Well, guys, we had fun here and got to relax for a while, but now it's time for us to get back to business."

"Let's show the world what else Team Avatar can do," proudly said Sokka, holding his hand out and letting it float in midair. Aang and Katara smiled, joining their hands on top of Sokka's as the three of them looked into each other's eyes, remembering the unbreakable bonds that had been forged between them. "We've got ourselves a world to fix, guys," said Sokka, causing Aang and Katara to agreeably nod with him.

"It won't be easy," acknowledged Aang, "but as long as we've got each other, there's nothing we can't do." The three companions amiably smiled at one another, pressing themselves together and embracing each other as they had countless times on the road, reaffirming their fellowship and friendship in their hearts.

"Make us proud, kids," said Hakoda as the trio came out of their group hug. Sadly smiling down at his children, he added, "I'm going to miss you so much, Sokka and Katara."

"We'll miss you too, Dad," said Katara, running up to her father and embracing him, his firm arms wrapping around her as he bid her farewell.

As Katara and Hakoda came out of their hug, Sokka smiled and walked up to his father as he said, "Don't worry, Dad. I'll be sure to keep these two from sucking each other's faces off." Much to his delight, both Aang and Katara groaned their annoyance, face-palming themselves at Sokka's comment.

"I'm sure you will, son," knowingly chuckled Hakoda, also embracing his son just as they all heard Appa roar and thunderously land outside of the Chief's home, startling many onlookers and causing them to yelp. "Sounds like your ride is here," observed Hakoda as he separated from his son.

"I'll get our furry buddy all ready to go," said Sokka, walking towards the front door flap with Katara close on his heels, but not before the Waterbender blew a quick air kiss to Aang, who caught it and held it close to his heart as he smiled, making Katara heartily chuckle as she slipped out the front door flap.

As Aang heard Appa happily greet Sokka with a friendly full-body lick, one that made the young warrior exclaim with disgust, Hakoda simply said, "Aang." The Avatar looked back at the Chief with questioning eyes. "Please take care of them. I couldn't live with myself if anything horrible happened to them while they were out helping you restore balance to the world."

"No need to worry, Hakoda," assured Aang with a truthful smile, wanting to help put Katara's father at ease. "Sokka's like a brother to me, and Katara…well, you know." He glanced down to his right and softly smiled as he felt his cheeks grow hot.

Hakoda merely chuckled and said, "I understand, and I have no doubt that you'll look after them with the same care that you did during the War." Just as Aang looked back up at him, Hakoda respectfully bowed and said, "It was an honor to house you in my home, Avatar Aang, and I wish you the best of luck in restoring the world with your friends."

Aang likewise bowed, gratefully saying, "Thank you for your kind words, Chief Hakoda, and thank you so much for believing in me and the others." The two men came out of their bows and gave each other one last, friendly embrace and a couple of pats on the back, wishing the other well through their silent gestures, before Aang turned around and slipped back into the real world through the front door flap, finding himself face-to-face with Appa. "Ready to fly, buddy?" he excitedly asked his furry companion as he jumped up into the saddle, for Sokka was already at the reins. As Aang landed in the saddle, Momo alighted on his right shoulder as Appa eagerly roared his reply, his deep roar echoing up through Aang's feet and into his body.

As Aang took his seat next to Katara, who was in the very back of the saddle, Sokka looked back at the two of them and happily declared, "Next stop: Fire Nation Royal Palace!" He looked forward as he cracked the reins and shouted, "Appa, yip yip!" The mighty Sky Bison bellowed his joy and slammed his tail into the ground, blasting off of the snow-covered road and speeding into the awaiting sky, the multitudes of villagers cheering them on and waving their good-byes as the village grew smaller in the distance.

Aang leaned his head against Katara's shoulder, quietly humming as he interlaced his fingers with hers and whispered, "Looks like we're headed back into action, my Little Koi Fish. Are you ready?" He was more than grateful to have Katara by his side; she made everything in the world seem so bright and right, as if her very presence alone made the universe align itself back to its perfect state. To be able to hold hands with her, to be able to envelop her in his arms, to be able to kiss like no one else ever could, to able to see her smile as he whispered words of adoration to her…it totally and utterly completed his world, for _she_ was his whole world.

"I am as long as I'm with you, Aangie," affectionately replied Katara, tenderly pecking Aang on the cheek and nuzzling into his neck, "I'm always ready for anything." The young couple settled into the saddle, holding their partner in both their arms and their hearts as Appa flew onward, bringing them ever closer to their fast-approaching future, one where they hoped that they would always be together in the safeness and security of their mutual love.

* * *

><p>The part where Katara becomes emotional after Aang calls her "Sweetie" and leads to the two of them treating that word with a lot more reverence, not to mention the parallel of Katara's love for her mother being reborn in Aang and Aang's love for the Air Nomads being reborn in Katara, was <strong>Maizeandbluekid<strong>'s idea, while Aang and Katara coming up with more nicknames for each other was **PandaLily**'s idea. I'd like to thank these two users for giving me such wonderful ideas that I could use in order to improve my story. :D

An additional bonus for all of you: I already have the next two chapters written up (17 & 18), and am currently working on my latest chapter (19). Expect to see more updates in the coming weeks.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Remember my advice, my loyal readers:

_**BUY THE BOOK, AND SUPPORT THE WORK OF THE PEOPLE WHO STRIVE SO HARD TO BRING THIS INCREDIBLE STORY TO US.**_


	17. Frustrated Rage

So here we are once more, diving into a world that many of us here on this site have come to call home: the world of Avatar. :) Anyways, enough of that, I'm back! This time around, we're jumping back to our favorite snarky blind Earthbender, and boy do I love this chapter! :D You'll see what I mean in a minute. Please enjoy and review! :)

RESPONSES:

**Maiko Lover:** I will be sure to keep writing for Part One of "The Promise" as well as for Parts 2 and 3 whenever they come out. :) And thank you for saying that I did a wonderful job with the characterization, the romance, the suspenseful problems, and for putting my own thoughts and ideas (though I must give credit to those who have contributed their ideas to me) into this story in hopes of expanding on what I believe is going to be a great trilogy. :)

**DISCLAIMER:** I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender. The show and its characters belong to Mike and Bryan, the brillant geniuses behind one of the greatest cartoon shows in the history of cartoons. Their work is legendary, and I salute them for it. I also do not own "The Promise" story, which is written by Gene Yang, and is also the property of Mike and Bryan. I am simply help to spread the news of the upcoming story and do not take any responsibilty for the development of the story itself; I am only going off of what is known thus far.

**Frustrated Rage**

Toph blasted her right fist forward with a furious shout, heavily stomping down into a horse stance as she rocketed her practice boulder into the mountainside, smashing the rock into the cliff side and leaving a large, crumbling crater in its place. She spun her head around to face behind her, snarling as she picked up her left foot and slammed it back down to the ground, sliding it outward as she leaned back on her right leg, dropping into a crouch stance as she punched down her left leg.

A series of earthen pillars rumbled out of the ground, racing towards a boulder the size of Appa. When the pillars collided with the boulder, the massive rock erupted into a crashing cloud of rubble and dust. Leaning forward on her left foot, Toph punched upwards with her right fist, bringing up a considerably large rock from the earth below. Propping herself up on her left foot, Toph growled as she jut out with her right foot in a hard kick, sending the boulder crashing into the nearby mountainside as she stood back on both of her feet, glaring down at the ground with raging, unseeing eyes as she lividly clenched her fists.

She was in a remote area of the mountains surrounding Yu Dao, about thirty or so miles from the town, far enough in the wilderness for the blind Earthbender to channel all of her anger and rage without putting the colony in danger. It had been a few days since her little…_disagreement_ with Sushako about the condition of his Earthbending students, and ever since then all the other Earthbending teachers refused to let her into their schools. She had met with Mayor Morishita about six hours before to discuss the issue…

_"I'm sorry, Master Toph," said Morishita, holding up his hands in helplessness, "but I can't force our Earthbending teachers to see you."_

_"Why not?" she demanded, jumping out of her seat and harshly grasping the edges of the Mayor's desk as her chair went flying backward, leaving her to glare face-to-face with Morishita. "I can't teach any of your Firebending students Metalbending! The only students I can use are the kids who know Earthbending!"_

_"If you would calm yourself, Master Toph," calmly replied Morishita, not even seeming fazed by her outburst, "I'll explain." She plopped herself back into her chair with in irritated huff, crossing her arms in front of her chest as she narrowed her eyes at Morishita, trying to stare him down. The Mayor sighed and folded his hands on top of his desk, and she could feel his head shift down towards his desk, as if he were staring down at it. After a long moment of silence, she felt Morishita look up. "The reason why none of our Earthbending teachers will see you about their students is because of what happened between you and Master Sushako a few days ago."_

_She indelicately scoffed, turning her head towards the window. "Hey, none of his students were capable of being Metalbenders," she retorted, blowing an annoying bang out of her face as she continued to glower. "It's not my fault that Sushako's students weren't up to my standards."_

_"That's beside the point," firmly dismissed Morishita. Resting his hands on the desk, he added, "What _is_ the point is that you viciously insulted and berated his students, undermining their confidence so much that over half of his class has been unable to find the will to Earthbend since almost a day after your visit!"_

_"Serves them right," she scoffed, turning her head away from Morishita in indifference. She felt a sharp spike in Morishita's heart rate, feeling blood rush to his face in a wave that signified outrage and furious anger._

_"Master Toph!" exclaimed Morishita in an extremely hostile tone. "You've destroyed their will to Earthbend, a vital part of what makes them who they are! Earthbending has been their entire lives ever since they were old enough to make a pebble float, and then you come along, criticizing and insulting them so harshly and so carelessly that you've made them lose faith in themselves as Earthbenders! You, of all people, should know how integral Earthbending is in the lives of the Earth Kingdom people; our students here in Yu Dao are certainly no exception!"_

_"You're almost making the whole thing with the kids losing their Earthbending seem like a bad thing," she indifferently observed, picking an annoying bud of earwax out of her ear and flicking it towards the floor. "They aren't even real Earthbenders." She subsequently ignored the explosive rise in emotions from Morishita as she finished her statement_

_"How dare you!" indignantly bellowed Morishita, standing up from his desk and staring down at her with absolute fury. "You're spitting down on every Earthbending child who lives here in Yu Dao! They carry the same ancient skill as you and the rest of your people do! How can you slander them like this?"_

_"Because they don't listen to the earth!" she shot back, also standing up from her chair, clenching her hands into curled fists. "The main point of Metalbending is to listen to the rocks inside of the metal in order to bend it, and the only way to listen to the earth inside the metal is through Earthbending!" Jabbing a finger towards the Mayor, she added, "I've listened to the earth my entire life, and I'm not afraid to tell you that none of the students in this city could listen to the earth even if there was a rockslide happening right next to them!"_

_"You…you arrogant brat!" spat out Morishita, unrestrained contempt polluting his insult. "You think because you're the Avatar's Earthbending teacher that you can just come into our colony and think to build your Metalbending school here, even when you insult our Earthbending children and their skills? Everyone in this town, both Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation, are _my_ people, _my_ family! Let me tell you, young lady, when you attack one of us, you attack _all_ of us!"_

_"If it wasn't for me and my friends," she angrily retorted, "the entire world would have been destroyed by now! Do you think Fire Lord Ozai would've cared if he had burnt down all of the colonies during Sozin's Comet? No, he wouldn't! He was an insane madman that wanted nothing more than to wipe the Earth Kingdom off of the map!"_

_"Fire Lord Ozai always had the Fire Nation's best interests at heart," stated Morishita, "unlike you, your friends, the Avatar, and even Fire Lord Zuko!" She immediately snapped; _no one_ insulted her friends._

_"You have no idea of what my friends have done for me!" she screamed at Morishita, putting herself on the front line of defense for her friends. "They're the bravest people I know, and you're nothing but a pompous coward who gets all huffy if I say that the kids of his village can Earthbend as well as Waterbenders!" If she had been able to see Morishita's face, she would have seen the look of sheer hatred and scorn that imbued itself on his face._

_"THAT'S IT!" he roared, slamming down his fists onto his desk. He snapped a finger towards his office door as he shouted, "Get out of my city, and don't come back until you've learned some humility! And you might as well as forget about your Metalbending school, because I'm not supporting someone who mocks the Earthbenders of my city!" She gaped at him, utterly shocked by his declaration._

_"You can't just kick me out!" she defiantly protested, smashing her fists down onto the wooden desk, bringing her face within inches of Morishita's, letting her milky eyes glare at him as they narrowed with outrage. "I'm the best thing that's ever happened to this dinky colony, and you know it!"_

_"You may be the world famous Toph Bei Fong," icily growled Morishita, "but you are nothing more than scum in my eyes. Now, _get out of my city_." She scowled at the Mayor, daring him to physically throw her out of Yu Dao. If it meant that she had to go up against every Earthbender and Firebender in town, then so be it._

_At the last moment, she decided against fighting the Mayor; it certainly wouldn't be good for the Harmony Restoration Movement. "Fine," she snapped, stiffening her spine and lifting her chin up with pride as she leaned back from Morishita. "If you refuse to admit that I'm right, then good riddance to all of you." As she turned to leave, she paused, as if considering something, and said, "By the way, Mayor, your desk is broken."_

_She could feel his dumbfounded eyes on her back as she smirked, taking a few steps outside of the office and hitting the floor with her heel just as he was about to say something. Suddenly, an earth column shot up out of the ground, throwing the Mayor backwards as he cried out, completely destroying his desk as the pillar smashed into the ceiling. Smugly smiling to herself, she quickly ran out of the Mayor's building, sprinting as fast as she could towards the wilderness in order to escape prosecution._

"Stupid stuck-up Mayor…" she angrily muttered to herself, feeling the earth tremble under her feet as her unrestrained chi began to make the stone crack, thin fractures spreading out from underneath her like a spider web. She hauled another boulder out the ground, one that was over thirty feet tall and sixty feet wide. Leaping backwards about four feet, Toph braced herself against the ground, crouching low as she channeled her energy into the patch of rock beneath her bare feet.

Springing forward, Toph launched herself off of the earth and sailed towards the massive boulder, her fist extended as she poured all of her irritation and frustration into her mad scream. She sailed straight through the middle of the boulder, leaving a perfect hole in it as she landed on the opposite side. Immediately dropping into a horse stance, Toph jabbed upward the a clawed hand, sending a large stone spike to impale the boulder.

Spinning around in a roundhouse kick, Toph extended several earthen columns from the ground just to the right of the boulder, the columns sending both the boulder and the spike imbedded in it crashing into the nearby mountain, starting a mini-rockslide as earth, stone, and rock crumbled under her assault. Holding up her hands, Toph stopped the tumbling rocks, leaving various sizes of debris, from large boulders to the smallest of pebbles, to float in midair.

Calming herself, Toph smoothly allowed her hands to arrange the myriad of rocks around her, the small to medium pieces to float in a circle around her while letting the larger boulders to hang just above her. The blind Earthbender took a deep breath, imagining that each and every rock floating around her was an enemy ready to madly charge towards her. She could feel the earth around her, calling to her, ready to test her skills as the best Earthbender in the world, as if the rocks and boulders were challenging her to prove who she really was.

She closed her eyes, waiting for the right moment to launch her self-attack. Thousands of questions ran through her mind: Which rocks would attack first? Where would they come from? How would she react? How would she destroy all of her imaginary opponents?

None of these questions mattered to her, however. What did matter to her was _when_ she reacted, _when _she chose to make her stand, _when_ she chose to annihilate all those who stood before her.

One minute passed…

Two minutes passed…

Three minutes passed…

Her ears perked up as she launched a rock from behind her towards her, hearing the small pebbles fall off of it as the rock flew through the air. Without even opening her eyes, Toph spun around and roundhouse kicked the rock, even as she brought in two more rocks from either side of her. Dropping into a low crouch, she punched out to her sides with both fists, smashing the incoming rocks against her hands as four more rocks came sailing towards her.

Turning on her new assailants, Toph stiffly brought up her forearm at each rock, causing each one to explode into a cloud of dust. Launching eight more rocks at herself, letting some get closer than others, Toph quickly punched through the remaining projectiles, her arms a blur as she jabbed through rock after rock.

Finally, she dropped the huge boulder that she was holding above her head, bracing herself against the craggy earth below her feet with a twist of her ankles. Clapping her hands together, she stabbed her arm straight up, grunting and gritting her teeth as the boulder split itself on her fingertips, falling on either side of her in massive slabs. Stomping her left foot, she blasted the slabs away with the palms of her hands, smiling with satisfaction as the slabs slammed into the nearby mountains with a mighty crash.

Suddenly, she heard a voice from far-off cry out, "Sir, I heard something coming from over here!" Toph's eyes widened with shock and surprise, blasting the subterranean with her seismic senses as she mentally berated herself for not keeping a better bearing on her surroundings. She bit back a curse as she felt a large group of men rushing towards her, about fifteen in all. About half of them felt to be Earthbenders, given the fact that they were completely barefoot in order to allow themselves to better connect with their element. The other half of the group, she could feel, were dressed in Firebender armor, much like what the Fire Nation Army used but personalized for local militia use.

_They're after me!_ she frantically thought to herself in a moment of panic, her seismic senses shredding the earth with impunity as she desperately sought an escape route. Feeling a ravine off to her right, she immediately sprinted towards it, blasting through it as she launched herself forward like a coiled spring. Finding a small alcove in the ravine, the blind Earthbender hastily ducked inside, her heart racing as she heavily panted, trying to calm herself in order to hide from the Yu Dao militia.

After several agonizing, torturous moments, she heard a sharp voice exclaim, "Great Agni above! What in the world happened here?"

"What does it look like happened, you flaming hot head?" sarcastically asked a deeper, more booming voice. She heard a rock being blasted to bits, followed by the same voice saying, "An Earthbender was here, a powerful one by the looks of it."

"Could it be her, sir?" asked a younger voice, one that Toph immediately recognized as the voice of Lee, the guard who had shown her into Yu Dao when she had first arrived. "I mean, she _is_ an Earthbender, and I don't think that anyone from Yu Dao could do this much damage."

"You obviously underestimate the power of Earthbenders, Lee," admonished the booming man, who Toph decided to nickname The Boomer. "I'm sure Sushako could pull a pretty nasty number on these mountains, but this…no, it has to be that little blind brat that assaulted Mayor Morishita." Toph silently snarled to herself, gripping the earthen wall that she was pressing herself to so hard that her knuckles turned the same color of her sightless eyes.

"Do you think she could have gone down that ravine, sir?" asked another voice, this one slightly rough and jagged. Toph's heartbeat immediately thundered into the ground, realizing that the man was talking about the ravine she had hidden herself in.

"Only one way to find out," decided The Boomer, his heavy footsteps sending sharp knives in Toph's rapidly beating heart. She could feel all of them, warriors of Earth and Fire, stalk towards her with the intent of capturing her. She knew she could take them on all on, but these weren't enemy soldiers of the warring Fire Nation; they were just regular guys protecting their home. She couldn't fight them, otherwise she would make an unnecessary enemy that her friends might have to deal with.

Instead of definitely standing against the oppressive tide and not backing down from a challenge, Toph decided to employ a tactic that Aang very much favored at times, one of the oldest tricks in Airbending…

Avoid and evade.

Taking a deep, cleansing, calming breath, Toph extended her control out to a ridge behind the militia, clenching her fists tightly as he forced boulders to extricate themselves from the cliff face. She heard the militia group cry out with surprise, some of them shouting, "There she is!" Flicking her fingers forward, Toph shot the rocks at the militia, landing the projectiles just in front of the men to scare them rather than harm them. Tapping her fingers against the stone, she made a series of soft, pattering sounds emanate from the ridge, as if someone were running away.

"What are you blasted idiots waiting for?" bellowed The Boomer. "After her! Don't let her get away!" Toph felt the militia group run up the side of the mountain, the Earthbenders of the group leading the way as they rushed towards the ridge. Satisfied with her work, Toph wormed her way out of the alcove, running down the ravine and feeling small pebbles stab into her calloused feet as she ran, pouring on all of her energy into her legs as she tried to get away from the militia.

"I can't go back to Yu Dao," she said to herself, panting as she continued running down the twisting ravine, heading as far east as she could in hopes of losing the militia group entirely. "They probably want to throw me in jail for attacking Morishita." She was silent for a while, running through all the places that she could hide out while things in Yu Dao cooled off for her. Maybe after a few months, she might return and try to make amends with the Mayor; until then, she was a fugitive with no place to go and no one to turn to for help. "Where am I supposed to go now?"

A sudden realization leapt to the forefront of her mind, one that made her smile as her problem resolved itself with the name of a single person…

* * *

><p>AUTHOR'S NOTE:<p>

Remember my advice, my loyal readers:

_**BUY THE BOOK, AND SUPPORT THE WORK OF THE PEOPLE WHO STRIVE SO HARD TO BRING THIS INCREDIBLE STORY TO US.**_


	18. RazorThin Tensions

Hoo, boy, if you thought the chapter with Aang and Hakoda (Chapter 6) was long, _this chapter_ is even longer! Lots of ideas thrown into this one, almost all of them my own except for one, which was given to me by **Carrot-Bunny**. I'll give her (I assume you're a girl. :P) credit in the Author's Note at the end and tell you what her idea was. For now: strap down, buckle up, grab a snack, and dive once more back into the world of Avatar! :) Enjoy and review! :D

Oh, by the way, the number of hits I've gotten on this story since I published it in November of 2011...IT'S OVER NINE-THOUSAND! XD Applause for all you who got the memetastic joke. :P

**DISCLAIMER:** I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender. The show and its characters belong to Mike and Bryan, the brillant geniuses behind one of the greatest cartoon shows in the history of cartoons. Their work is legendary, and I salute them for it. I also do not own "The Promise" story, which is written by Gene Yang, and is also the property of Mike and Bryan. I am simply help to spread the news of the upcoming story and do not take any responsibilty for the development of the story itself; I am only going off of what is known thus far.

**Razor-Thin Tensions**

The noon-time sun hung pregnant in the clear azure sky, making the ocean below shine with a brilliant sheen, almost lighting the way for Aang, now dressed back into his Master Airbender robes, as he steered Appa towards the Fire Nation Capital Island. The Avatar pleasurably smiled to himself as he leaned back into the edge of the saddle, folding his arms behind his head as he let his Animal Guide take over the flying for a little while. It had been about two-and-a-half days since he, Katara, and Sokka left the South Pole, and now they were within the home stretch.

"What'cha thinking about, sweetie?" asked Katara from the front of the saddle, resting her chin on her folded arms as she leaned against the edge of the saddle. Sokka, being Sokka, was fast asleep in the back and snoring so loud that Aang had first mistaken his obnoxious snoring for that Water Serpent they had encountered at the Serpent's Pass. Momo was also fast asleep on Sokka's head, seeming to prefer the warrior's bed of hair for a place to curl up and sleep, though he didn't seem bothered by the snoring roars emanating from his sleeping companion.

"Hmm?" He glanced up at her, smiling when he saw her wondrous face. "I was just thinking about how Zuko's doing. We haven't seen him in almost a month."

"True," nodded Katara. "I hope he's doing all right, though," she conceredly added, a slight frown tugging at the edges of her lips. "I can't imagine that being the Fire Lord, especially now, is easy."

"He should try being the Avatar sometime," joked Aang with a slight roll of his eyes. "You wanna talk about stress? Try having to save the world from the biggest bad guy the world's ever seen and then put the whole world back together without starting another war."

"Come on, Aang," admonished Katara, giving him a slightly sour look. "You know Zuko's trying his hardest, so there's no reason for you to joke about it."

"I was only making a comparison, Forever Girl," defensively said Aang, leaning up towards her and kissing just underneath her chin in a silent apology. "Besides, you've seen me when I get stressed out about my duty as the Avatar. Not a pretty sight, is it?"

"And neither are you, for that matter," teased Katara, chuckling as her boyfriend humorlessly scowled at her.

"Gee, _thanks_," he huffed at her, closing his eyes and turning his head away from her as he irritably crossed his arms in front of his chest, refusing to give her the pleasure of looking into his eyes.

"I'm just kidding, Little Sparrowkeet," she chuckled, jumping over the edge of the saddle and landing next to Aang, leaning over to kiss his cheek only to get a blast of air in her face as he shot himself up and out of her reach, floating just above Appa's head on a ball of air. "Hey!" she laughed, looking up at him with a mischievous smile. "Get back down here!"

"Not until you apologize," he obstinately retorted, his eyes still closed and head still averted from her. "What you said hurt my feelings, and I'm not going to let you kiss me until you apologize."

"All right," she sighed as she slumped her shoulders, giving in to his conditions. "I'm sorry, sweetie," she apologized in an overly sweet voice, pouring all the sappiness for her beloved Aangie. "You're an incredibly handsome young man, and you make me just _swoon_ at the sight of you." As she was talking, Aang allowed one of his eyes to peek open ever so slightly as he glanced over at her, smugly smiling to himself as he felt his ego being stroked.

"Much better," he nodded, satisfied with his work. He dropped himself back onto Appa's head, where he was promptly smacked on the back of the head by Katara. "Ow!" he painfully exclaimed, gripping at the spot she had struck him as he disbelievingly looked over at her. "What in the world was that for?"

"For trying to keep me from kissing you," she replied, trying her hardest to look mad but finding it nearly impossible to not smile at the priceless reaction from Aang. "And this," she added as she threw herself at him, tackling him against Appa's head as he let out a startled yelp, which was quickly cut off as her lips slammed against his, her hands framing his flushed face in between her fingers. She was pressing herself up against him so hard that he found it difficult to breathe, so he tried to return the kiss as best he could despite the fact that his lungs were begging for air.

Mercifully, Katara cut off the kiss after five more seconds, leaving a breathless, furiously blushing Avatar to stare wide-eyed up at her smiling face, her loose hair falling around their heads and entrapping them in their own world. His face must have been the most ridiculous thing she had ever seen, because he heard her struggling to contain a bountiful plethora of giggles. "A-And that?" he stammered, swallowing down a nervous gulp. "W-What was that for?"

"Because I love you," she affectionately replied, kissing his nose before falling silent, staring deeply into his eyes with her pure orbs of endless cerulean. All the two of them knew for several minutes was each other, lost in a sea of her wavy hair, helplessly adrift in the currents and eddies of their love. "I'll always love you, Aang," she sincerely whispered, resting her forehead against his. "Everything you do just makes me smile so much, and you make me so happy each and every day that I can't help but fall more madly in love with you with each passing day." If Aang's face was capable of Firebending, he was sure that his entire head would have been engulfed by a fireball the size of Sozin's Comet, that's how intense and fiery his blush was.

"Katara…" he breathlessly said against her, feeling a little shocked, but also thrilled, by her declaration of love. "I…you, um…I-" He was silenced once more as she melded her lips with his, though this time he found himself whole-heartedly returning the kiss. He closed his eyes as he wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her even closer to his body and his heart. His entire being was bursting with absolute love and adoration for the girl that he held in his arms, making his heart ache with a grating yet necessary pain that filled him up to the brim.

They could have stayed like that forever, connected in all ways except for the most sacred and intimate, trapped in an endless limbo with each other for the rest of blissful time.

Sadly, there were always forces set out against them, mainly those of an annoying sibling type.

"Hey, you two! Hey, break it up, _break it up_!" The couple separated from each other and looked back up at the saddle to see Sokka glaring down at them, clearly disliking what he was seeing. "Katara, get off of Aang right now! Aang, let go of my sister! I can see where this is going and I don't like it!"

"We weren't doing anything Sokka," Katara annoyedly protested, getting up off of Aang and letting both of them sit back up. "I was just kissing him; nothing else happened, so stop being overprotective."

"As your brother," pointed out Sokka, looking quite silly with Momo still sleeping on top of his head, "it's _my_ job to make sure that _he_" – he pointed a rigid finger at Aang – "doesn't do anything I don't approve of to _you._" – he pointed at his sister.

"We were just _kissing_, Sokka!" exclaimed Katara, standing up so that she could glare face-to-face with her brother. "We weren't going any further than that!"

"Sure," sarcastically said Sokka as he rolled his eyes, "and I'm sure that I was mistaken when I thought I saw you lying on top of Aang. Oh, wait- I _did_ see you lying on top of Aang!" Both siblings began to viciously argue with each other, Katara accusing Sokka of being too overprotective of her while Sokka was accusing Katara of doing things that Aang knew that he and she would never engage in unless they were married.

Finally, Aang decided to end the chaos. "Guys, guys!" Both of them looked over at him as he peacefully raised his hands and said, "Look, let's just all calm down." Looking over at Sokka, he said, "Sokka, I get that you're looking out for your sister, but we were just kissing; nothing more, nothing less." Looking over at Katara, he added, "Katara, your brother may seem like he's being overprotective of you, but he's only doing it because he loves you and doesn't want to see you get hurt by anyone, especially me." Gesturing to both of them, he peacefully asked, "Now, would the two of you stop arguing and apologize to one another? We've already got enough problems with trying to help Zuko with the colonies; I don't want to be the cause of a rift between the two of you."

Both siblings glared at each other for a few seconds longer, arms stiffly folded across their respective chests as they silently stared at one another. Thankfully, Katara was the first to speak, sighing as she sat back down on Appa's head. "I'm sorry, Sokka. I know you're only looking out for me, but I can honestly take care of myself when I'm with Aang."

"I know," nodded Sokka, "but I just want to be sure that you're safe. I mean, come on, you're my _sister_" – he extended an arm towards her – "it's practically a full-time job being your brother." Retracting his arm to anxiously rub the back of his neck, he glanced off to his right and said, "And…I guess I'm sorry for sounding a bit overprotective back there." He glanced back at her as he added, "I guess I can be a little overbearing sometimes, but it's like Aang said: it's because I love you." All hostility blown away into the wind, Katara and Sokka smiled at one another, wordlessly telling the other that they had accepted each other's apologies.

"Now, isn't that better?" perked up Aang with a bright smile, glad for the agreeable outcome. Before he could get a response out of his companions, he spotted something out of the corner of his eye. Turning his head towards the new sight, he broke into an open-mouth grin as he happily exclaimed, "There it is!" Katara and Sokka, the latter of the two now having an awakened Lemur on his head, both looked out to the horizon to see a familiar shape on the horizon: the Fire Nation Capital Island and the dormant caldera that distinguished it.

Within twenty minutes, they were flying high over the Royal Palace, slowly descending as they came in for a landing. Aang angled his Sky Bison towards the front gate of the Palace, feeling Momo alight on his shoulder as he did so. As they dropped lower towards the Palace, he could see five figures standing by the front gate: Imperial Firebenders, their helmeted heads staring up at them as Appa loosed a mighty, trumpeting bellow. With a thunderous thud, Appa landed on the cobblestone below, grunting as his six legs absorbed the blow of the impact. With that, the three heroes jumped off of Appa, finding themselves face-to-face with the Imperial Firebenders.

"You must be Avatar Aang," said the lead Imperial Firebender from the center of the formation. Seeing Aang affirmatively nod, the leader and his men bowed in the traditional Fire Nation fashion. "I am Colonel Shunjin," said the leader, "head of the Imperial Firebenders and chief of Fire Lord Zuko's security force."

"It's an honor to meet you, Colonel," respectfully said Aang, likewise bowing in the same fashion. He came out of his bow and gestured to his companions, saying, "These are my friends, Sokka and Katara of the Southern Water Tribe." Both Sokka and Katara bowed to the Imperial Firebenders in the same fashion as he did, showing off their knowledge of Fire Nation culture.

"It's a pleasure and an extreme honor to meet all of you," said Shunjin, folding his arms behind his back. "Fire Lord Zuko has told me of the many adventures that he shared with all of you during the War, and I must say that he's incredibly lucky to have such loyal friends like yourselves." The three heroes appreciatively smiled at Shunjin's praise, glad to see that there were indeed people in the Fire Nation that greatly admired and respected them. "Please," beckoned Shunjin, stepping aside as he motioned to the group of teenagers, "follow us inside. We'll escort you to Fire Lord Zuko; he's been excepting you for quite some time."

"Wait a minute," said Aang, turning towards his Animal Guide. "What about Appa? He can't come inside with us."

"I gotcha ya covered, buddy," said Sokka, walking up to Appa and leaning against his big head with one head. "I'll get Appa to a stable." Just then, Momo chattered and took off from Aang's shoulder, flying up and into the Sky Bison's saddle. "I guess Momo's staying with Appa," shrugged Sokka, looking back towards his companions. "Colonel, would you be willing to spare me a couple of your men? I'd like to be able to teach them how to handle Appa, in case we need one of them to bring Appa to us."

"Certainly, Master Sokka," nodded Shunjin. Looking to the far sides of his formation, gesturing to the Imperial Firebenders at the ends as he said, "Likai, Quan; you two will go with Master Sokka and learn how to handle the Avatar's Sky Bison. I'll escort the Avatar and Master Katara inside along with Zuran and Shibing. We'll be waiting for you all whenever you're done."

Likai, who was on Shunjin's left, and Quan, who was on Shunjin's right, broke out of the formation and stopped in front of their leader, bowing as they said, "Yes sir, Colonel Shunjin."

"Very good," approvingly nodded Shunjin. Looking past Likai and Quan, he said, "Avatar Aang, Master Katara, please follow the rest of my men and I inside. We'll wait until Sokka and my men are finished escorting your Sky Bison to the stables. The Fire Lord wishes to speak to all of you at once, so that's why we'll wait for your friend." Aang and Katara comprehensively nodded, walking past Quan and Likai as they followed Shunjin and the other Imperial Firebenders inside the Palace, leaving Sokka and Appa alone with Likai and Quan.

As Shunjin and the others walked towards the Palace, Sokka turned to Likai and Quan as he said, "Okay, first things first, which one of you is Likai and which one of you is Quan? I'm sorry, but your armor makes it impossible for me to tell the two of you apart."

"I'm Likai," said the Imperial Firebender on Sokka's left, raising his hand to indicate his identity. Gesturing to the other Imperial Firebender, Likai said, "This is Quan, my older brother."

"Nice to meet you two," pleasantly said Sokka. "I'm Sokka, Katara's older brother and Aang's best friend." Gesturing to his furry companion, he added, "And this is Appa, one of my best buds." Patting Appa's head, he added, "Today, I'm going to teach you something that people could only _dream_ of: flying a Sky Bison." Raising a finger in point, he perkily said, "The _Avatar's_ Sky Bison, mind you, so this one's even more special. First, you gotta climb up on top of his head." Likai and Quan watched as Sokka began to clamber up Appa's head, only to ungracefully fall to the ground after having placed his foot on Appa's horn and slipped. Nervously laughing, Sokka immediately stood up, his cheeks tinged with embarrassment as he brushed himself off and said, "Well, first you gotta make sure you don't fall off getting to his head."

"That would certainly help," chuckled Likai, his older brother chuckling with him much to Sokka's chagrin.

Deciding to spare himself anymore humiliation, Sokka speedily climbed up Appa with practiced ease, taking the reins as he said, "Now, you just gotta take hold of the reins like this" – he held up the reins to demonstrate – "and do this." Clearing his throat, he gave the reins a quick whip and said, "Appa, yip yip." Looking down at Likai and Quan just as Appa crouched, he said, "And that's all there is-" He let out a startled yelp as Appa began to take off and float for several feet, leading him to frantically pull down on the reins as he shouted, "Whoa! Down, Appa! Down, boy!"

Appa let out a disgruntled grumble as he plopped back to the ground, looking back at Sokka out of the corner of one of his big eyes. "What's the big idea, Appa?" hissed Sokka as Likai and Quan moved over towards them. "Are you _trying_ to make me look bad? I have a very important reputation to uphold!" Appa made what Sokka assumed to be an amused sound before returning his gaze forward, waiting for further orders. Sokka let out a heavy sigh before jumping off of Appa, turning to Likai and Quan as he said, "Anyways, all you gotta do once Appa is up in the air is steer him like you would a Komodo-Rhino. The only difference is that you'll be able to go anywhere in the sky that you want. To land, all you gotta do is aim him towards where you wanna touch down, and the big guy takes care of the rest." Putting his hands on his hips, he looked between the two brothers and asked, "So, who's first?"

Likai and Quan looked at one another, as if the two of them were silently deciding who would be the first to fly a Sky Bison. Finally, the younger of the two brothers stepped forward, proudly puffing his chest as he said, "I'll go first."

"Are you sure, Likai?" cautiously asked Quan, obviously concerned for his brother's safety.

"I'm sure, Quan," assured Likai with a dismissive wave of his hand. He walked over towards Appa, who turned his head towards the Firebender and snarled, pulling his lips back to look even more fearsome. It seemed to work, since Likai let out a startled yelp and jumped backwards, inadvertently lighting his hands on fire out of sheer reflex as he took a fighting stance. The Sky Bison was immediately frightened by the presence of the fire, but instead of running from it, he turned his whole body towards Likai and blew a stream of air out of his mouth, snuffing the Firebender's flames and continuing to viciously snarl his displeasure at the stranger.

"Appa, be nice!" chided Sokka, pointing an authoritative finger at the Sky Bison. Likai trembled in his armor as Appa looked over at Sokka, his big brown eyes staring intently at the Water Tribe warrior. "Appa…" warned Sokka, trying to be as commanding as possible in order to calm his furry friend. Much to Sokka's relief, Appa stopped snarling and stood back to his full height, snorting a blast of air out his nose that knocked Likai onto his bottom. Deciding that that was better than Appa tackling Likai, Sokka smugly smiled and said, "That's better." Gesturing to Likai, he said, "Appa hates fire, so just be sure not to Firebend anywhere near him."

"G-Got it," timidly stammered Likai, anxiously inching his way towards Appa, who was being completely calm as he let the Firebender approach.

Losing his patience, Sokka groaned as he slapped his forehead, saying, "Oh, come on!" Throwing one arm towards Appa in a wild gesture, he said, "He's not a dragon! He's not gonna eat you if he doesn't like you!"

"R-Right," mumbled Likai, now coming within a few feet of Appa, holding out a shaky hand in an attempt to pet the Sky Bison. Appa merely grunted as he felt Likai's leather-bound hand touch his snout, being totally passive as Likai lightly laughed with a mixture of wonder and nervousness, continuing to pet Appa as he said in amazement, "He's magnificent…a real living relic, and I'm petting it on the nose!"

"Are you gonna stand there and gawk at Appa all day," cut in Sokka, "or are you actually gonna get up there and fly him?" Likai looked over at Sokka, briefly acknowledging him before he moved over to the side of Appa's head, using one of the Sky Bison's horns as a foothold as he clambered up to the reins. As Likai settled into the reins, Sokka couldn't help but think how strange of a sight it was that an Imperial Firebender was sitting on top of Appa's head, getting ready to fly the Sky Bison just as he and his friends had done countless times over the past year.

"Alright," said Likai, holding the reins with both hands, "let's face this way, big fella." He pulled the reins to his left, having Appa face towards Sokka and away from the Palace so that he wouldn't hit it as he took off. Chuckling to himself in disbelief, he looked over at his brother and asked, "Can you believe it, Quan? What do you think Mother and Father would say if they saw me on the Avatar's Sky Bison- WHOAAAAAAA!"

Without warning, Appa jumped into the air, sailing over Sokka's head as he began to ascend, carrying poor Likai along for the ride. "Appa, get back here!" shouted Sokka, running off after the runaway Sky Bison, who was floating a few feet off of the ground. "Bad magical flying Bison! _Bad!_" He jumped up and grabbed onto one of Appa's legs just before the Sky Bison shot straight upwards, taking Sokka and Likai with him as the two men screamed for their lives.

"Likai!" cried out Quan, giving chase to Appa as the Sky Bison straightened out in the sky before diving down to the city in attempt to toss off Likai.

High above the Fire Nation Capital, the wind stung at Sokka's face as he struggled to climb up Appa's furry leg, angrily muttering to himself, "Just _had_ to volunteer myself for this, didn't I?" A bug smacked into his cheek, stinging his flesh but otherwise not bothering him as much as the rebellious Sky Bison that he was clinging for dear life to.

Meanwhile, inside the Palace, Aang was starting to get worried. "What's taking them so long?" he anxiously asked, fiddling around with his wooden Airbending medallion. "It doesn't take that long to train someone how to fly Appa."

"Maybe Appa doesn't trust the Imperial Firebenders," suggested Katara, moving over towards Aang and taking hold of one of his fidgety hands, smiling as he looked over at her. "He's only known people from our group for the past year. Likai and Quan are strangers to him, so maybe Sokka's trying to get Appa to trust them better." Leaning over and pressing a loving kiss to his cheek, she nuzzled into his face and affectionately said, "Stop worrying so much. Appa will be fine, I promise." Aang blushed and brightly smiled at her as she pulled back from him, their fingers still intertwined.

Shunjin chuckled, bringing the couple back to reality as he asked, "Am I correct in assuming that you two are quite taken with one another?" Aang and Katara looked over at the Colonel, forgetting that they were in the presence of others, and immediately unlocked their fingers as both of them burst out into fierce blushes.

"Yeah," sheepishly admitted Aang, glancing at Katara out of the corner of his eyes as he saw her smile and play with one of her hair loopies. "We've, uh…we've been dating each other for about a month or so."

"Ever since the Earth King announced the Harmony Restoration Movement," added Katara, sweetly smiling as she glanced over at Aang, twisting her hair loopie in her finger.

"Well," said Shunjin, "allow me to extend my personal congratulations to the both of you. I know I've only just met the two of you today, but I can tell that you both have a strong connection to one another, and I wish you the best of luck in your newfound relationship."

"Thank you, Colonel," kindly said Aang and Katara in unison, startling the other as their eyes snapped towards each other, realizing that they had replied in synchronization, making them smile and blush even harder than before.

"So," said Shunjin, striking up a new conversation with the young couple, "I take it that Sokka and Appa are well acquainted?"

"Of course," honestly replied Aang, looking over at Shunjin. "They're pretty much really good friends." Happily smiling, he added, "Those two really understand one another."

"I don't understand you at all, Appa!" screamed Sokka, holding on to the edge of the saddle as Appa dove towards the ground again, pulling up just in time to avoid a crowd of surprised people. "Why can't you just be a nice ten-ton flying Bison and _not_ fly off the handle like this?" Finally crawling into the saddle, he looked up to see Likai frightfully holding onto one of Appa's horns with both his arms and legs, quivering with fear as Appa rose higher into the sky. "What are you doing, Likai?" exclaimed Sokka, holding onto the saddle again as Appa rolled over once, bellowing before diving towards the ground again. "You're supposed to be flying Appa!"

"I'm afraid of heights!" shouted Likai, gripping Appa's horn so tightly that he was surprised that it didn't snap in half under the pressure.

"_WHAT?_" Sokka's jaw went completely slack, staring wide-eyed with disbelief at the Imperial Firebender. Scrambling up towards the reins – ignoring Momo, who was also holding onto the saddle – he shouted, "Then why did you want to fly Appa?"

"I've always dreamed of flying!" Likai shouted back as Sokka took hold of the reins. Irritated, Sokka thought of how stupid it was that someone with a fear of heights would want to fly. To him, that would be like having Aang be afraid of jumping off of a cliff even though he could safely Airbend himself to the bottom.

Sokka went into immediate panic-mode as soon as he saw that they were plummeting towards a group of open-roofed buildings. Yanking back on the reins as hard as he could, he loudly screamed, "WHOA, APPA! WHOA!" Seeing how his efforts were unsuccessful, he braced himself against Appa's neck and yanked even harder, nearly breaking his voice as he desperately shrieked "_I SAID WHOA!_" Mercifully, Appa actually listened to him, sweeping his tail around with a bellowing roar and stalling himself just mere inches from the ground inside one of the open-roofed buildings, planting his six padded feet on the ground with a satisfied grunt.

Sokka collapsed against Appa's neck, raggedly panting as he tried to stop his racing heart. Likai, who was still clinging to Appa's horn, apprehensively looked around at their surroundings, unevenly laughing as he shakily said, "H-Hey…we made it to the stables." Relieved, the Imperial Firebender sighed as he let go of Appa's horn, clumsily falling to the ground with a painful "Oomph!" Looking around, Sokka could see that they had landed in the middle of a building with a large rectangular opening where the roof should be, as if this building had once housed dragons in the days before the Hundred Year War.

As Sokka jumped off of Appa and helped Likai to his feet, the two of them both heard Quan – who had been closely following Appa from the ground - burst into the stable, running towards the two of them as he shouted, "Likai! Are you okay?"

"Yeah," nodded Likai, holding his head as Sokka let go of him, looking towards his brother as he stopped in front of the two of them. "The Avatar's Sky Bison took me by surprise, that's all."

Furious with Appa, Sokka stormed over to the Sky Bison, propping himself in front of his furry companion's face. Jabbing a finger onto Appa's snout, he shouted, "What's your deal, Appa? You could have gotten us killed with that little stunt of yours!" Firmly placing his hands on his hips, he glared at Appa and leaned in towards the Sky Bison's face as he said, "Well, what do you have to say for yourself, Mister?" Appa stared at Sokka for a few moments, rumbling deep in his throat as his deep brown eyes gazed endlessly at Sokka. "_Well?_"

Appa's only response was a full-body lick that totally engulfed Sokka, leaving him soaked with drool from head to toe. Suppressing the urge to gag and splutter out of utter disgust, Sokka managed a feeble smile, reaching out with hand and petting Appa's snout as he sighed and said, "Yeah, love you too, buddy." Appa grumbled against his hand, affectionately nuzzling into his palm. Remembering his present company, Sokka began to fling some more drool off of himself as he turned to the two brothers and said, "Well, basically the gist of flying Appa is this: don't make him mad; no Firebending; be nice to him, and just overall treat him like you would a good friend." Realizing something else, he said, "Oh yeah, and be sure to feed him lots of apples and hay. Also, make sure that the other Imperial Firebenders get a chance to train with him, just so he's comfortable with all of you."

"By 'train'," said Quan, "do you mean 'just have us sit at the reins until he likes us'?"

"Pretty much," shrugged Sokka, tossing a globule of drool off to the side, finally cleaning himself off. "Once he likes you, he'll listen to whatever you say." Jerking a thumb towards the stable doors, he said, "Let's get going to the Palace. The others are probably wondering what's taking so long." Just as he turned to leave, he looked back towards Likai and Quan, saying, "None of my friends need to find out about this, alright? The last thing I need is for Aang to freak out. Got it?"

"Got it," nodded the brothers. Sokka smiled, knowing that his secret was safe. After about ten minutes of getting to know each other, Appa seemed to grow more comfortable with Likai and Quan, allowing them to pet him without growling or snarling at them. With new friendships having been made between the Sky Bison and the two brothers, Sokka let the Imperial Firebenders lead him back towards the Palace. Within ten minutes, they were striding towards the entrance of the Palace, where inside they found the others waiting.

"What took you guys so long?" asked Aang once Sokka and the brothers rejoined them. "We were beginning to think that something had gone wrong with the training."

"Nah," dismissively replied Sokka, trying to play it cool. "Training just took a bit longer than expected, that's all. It's all good now." He figured it was a good enough explanation, one that was pretty much true and accepted by the Avatar without any further questions.

The younger group of children followed the Imperial Firebenders as they journeyed through the massive halls of the Fire Lord's home, the two groups headed for the Throne Room. Aang, Katara, and Sokka managed to make some small talk with Shunjin, just trying to get to know the leader of the Imperial Firebenders better since they had a feeling that they would be seeing him a lot. They soon found that Shunjin was a very respectable and personable man, easy-going and relaxed but also intelligent and well-spoken. They all immediately took a liking to him, each of them silently convincing themselves that Zuko had a good man leading his personal guard.

As they neared the Throne Room, which was guarded by six more Imperial Firebenders, they heard a polished, clear-cut voice exclaim, "This is absolutely unacceptable, Fire Lord Zuko! I can't work under these conditions!" The group stopped just outside of the Throne Room, the younger teenagers confusedly looking at each other, unsure of what was going on.

"I'm doing my best here, Minister Qunti!" argued another voice, one that the three heroes immediately recognized as Zuko's. "My resources are spread thin as it is!"

"What's going on?" Aang asked Shunjin, tilting his head up towards the lead Imperial Firebender.

Shunjin sighed and turned towards Aang as he said, "It appears that Fire Lord Zuko is having a…_disagreement_ with our Colonial Minister, Qunti." Before Shunjin could say anything else, Aang, Katara, and Sokka moved over towards the partition curtain, peeking their heads through the crimson fabric into the vast Throne Room, feeling their faces heat up from the veil of flames that flanked the dais.

In the middle of the Throne Room stood Zuko, adorned in the blazing regalia of the Fire Lord, only slightly different than before: it seemed more practical and commanding, allowing Zuko to still Firebend with ease while also looking intimidating at the same time. What caught Sokka's eye, however, was the inexplicably _awesome_ cape that flowed down Zuko's back, a maroon piece of sheer amazingness that he found himself drooling at with bulging eyes.

Qunti was an older man, made apparent by the intensely gray hair that flowed down his neck and came to rest in a top knot on his head. He was dressed in a dark gray and red robe, the preferred style of the Royal Court. He had a sharp, angular face, one that looked like that it could be snooty and stuck-up when it wanted to be. "You expect me to be able to aid in the removal of the colonies with only _one_ _ship_?"

"_One ship_ is all I can provide, Minister!" exclaimed Zuko, throwing up one arm in a wild gesture. "I have to reserve all of our other Navy vessels for the defense of the Fire Nation itself, not to mention the dozens of other ships need to take part in the future trade routes between the Earth Kingdom and the Water Tribes!"

"Do you realize, your Majesty," snapped Qunti, "that there are _countless dozens_ of colonies in the Earth Kingdom? Even with an adequate fleet of vessels reserved for the Harmony Restoration Movement, it would still take up to several months to remove them all! With just one ship, it'll take _years_!"

"As long as we can get the colonies out of the Earth Kingdom in a reasonable amount of time," reasoned Zuko, "it doesn't matter how many ships we use! You have to realize, Minister Qunti, that my responsibilities as Fire Lord extend far beyond those concerning the colonies: I have to make further peace treaties with the Earth Kingdom and Water Tribes; establish beneficial trade routes; boost our economy back up; keep an eye out for any rebellions that may break out on any of the other islands. I could go on all day!"

Qunti scoffed, narrowing his eyes at Zuko as he seethingly said, "If you weren't _lacking_ in regards to the colonies, my Lord, perhaps the Harmony Restoration Movement would be able to prosper and you can focus your attentions on your other duties." Even from their spot by the curtain, Aang, Katara, and Sokka could see Zuko's eyes widen in anger, his fists clenching themselves in an uncompromising iron grip as they began to spew out black smoke. The fire wall seemed to rise several feet towards the ceiling, the ravenous flames eagerly gnawing at the top of the room.

"_Lacking?_" hissed Zuko, small flames leaping out of his mouth as he tensely spoke the forced word. "_Lacking?_ I'm putting as much of my support behind the Harmony Restoration Movement as I can, and you _dare _to say that I'm _lacking_ when it comes to the colonies?" Aang couldn't help but feel himself shiver at the tone in Zuko's voice: a cold, furious snarl that beguiled a raging inferno that feverishly burned on the inside.

Seeming very much unafraid, Qunti stuck up his chin and spitefully said, "Yes, Fire Lord Zuko; _lacking_ is exactly what you are when it comes to the colonies. Out of all the supporters of the Harmony Restoration Movement, you seem the least committed to it because of your _pitiful_ contribution of just one ship to remove the several dozens of colonies that reside in the Earth Kingdom. Even the Avatar's Sky Bison could have done better than you in this most simple of tasks! If you even had an _ounce_ of the tenacity that your father had, perhaps-"

The Minister never got to finish his sentence, since his voice was drowned out by the monstrous roaring of flames that blasted from the dais, the fire wall slamming into the ceiling and spreading the flames out against the wood like the wings of dragon, though the flames didn't seem to catch the wood on fire; the Fire Lord's room had to be fire-proof, after all. Zuko was engulfed in a massive fireball, bellowing at the top of his lungs in sheer outrage as the force of his sudden conflagration threw the Minister against a nearby pillar. Before either Aang, Katara, or Sokka could move, they saw Zuko leap out of his fireball, his right fist completely covered in flames as his left hand roughly grabbed the Minister's collar, aiming his right fist towards the frightened man's face and forcing him to look into the Fire Lord's wild, raging eyes as he angrily screamed, "_I AM NOT MY FATHER!_"

Just as Aang was about to leap in and stop Zuko, he felt a firm hand on his shoulder. He whirled around to see Shunjin standing behind him, shaking his head as he sternly said, "Don't. This is the Fire Lord's battle, not yours."

"But he's going to hurt the Minister!" protested Aang, looking back with horror as he frantically prayed for Zuko to regain control of himself so that he wouldn't have to fulfill that dreaded promise. Aang felt Katara's hand suddenly slip into his, her fingers trembling against his with great fear and anxiety.

"DO YOU HEAR ME?" demanded Zuko, holding his flaming fist so close to the Minister's face that even Aang began to see bits of gray hair began to singe from the uncontrolled intensity of Zuko's fire. "I AM _NOTHING_ LIKE MY FATHER! THE ONLY THING HE HAD TENACITY FOR WAS WAR AND DESTRUCTION! HE WAS NOTHING BUT AN INSANE KILLER WHO LOVED TO WATCH OTHER PEOPLE SUFFER! WOULD HE WANT TO MAKE PEACE WITH THE OTHER NATIONS IN ORDER TO REBUILD THE WORLD? NO, HE WOULDN'T! HE WOULD RATHER _DIE_ THAN FORCE HIMSELF TO LISTEN TO OTHERS!" Slamming Qunti against the pillar for emphasis, he shouted, "_I AM NOT MY FATHER! _AM I UNDERSTOOD, MINISTER?"

Qunti, despite having looked quite terrified during Zuko's explosive outburst, seemed to have regained all of his earlier dignity and calmness, not even seeming fazed by the animalistic fire that burned just inches from his face. In a cold, indifferent tone, he lowly said, "You may not have your father's tenacity, but you certainly have his anger." Zuko furiously snarled as his pupils sharply dilated, much like an untamed dragon ready to devour something, causing the fire wall to spread out even farther, uncontrolled and unrestrained by the dark, all-consuming cloud of Zuko's anger as the heat of an entire sun seemed to fill the massive room. Aang, Katara, and Sokka could only watch and pray that the outcome wouldn't be disastrous.

The roar and cackle of the fire wall died down as it dropped back to its normal size, even as Zuko extinguished the fire that engulfed his fist. Shoving Qunti against the pillar and letting go of him, Zuko looked back towards his throne, his voice deep, menacing, and cold as he contemptuously growled, "Get out of my sight. I don't want to see you again for the rest of the day." Brushing himself off, Qunti gave the Fire Lord a brief, concise bow before he walked out of the Throne Room, not even sparing the Avatar and his friends a second glance as he walked past them. Shunjin walked into the Throne Room as Zuko reached up to rub his temples, irately muttering to himself, "I swear I'm going to-"

Clearing his throat, Shunjin clearly said, "Fire Lord Zuko."

"_WHAT?_" yelled the Fire Lord in frustrated exasperation as he rapidly whirled on the Colonel, glowering at him as the fire wall roared back to life, slamming full-force into the ceiling. Aang could feel Katara's grip on his hand tighten like a clamp, and he gave her a reassuring squeeze before he let go and led them into the firestorm.

Stepping aside as Aang and the others entered the Throne Room, Shunjin gestured to the newcomers and said, "The Avatar and his friends are here, my Lord." Zuko's eyes widened with surprise and astonishment, his mouth slightly hung open as the fire wall calmed down to a purring crackle, lowering the lighting in the Throne Room back to normal.

When Zuko had recovered from his surprise, the fire wall grew back to its normal size as the Fire Lord firmly set his jaw and commendably said, "Very good, Colonel. You and your men are free to go."

"As you wish, my Lord," bowed Shunjin before turning around and walking towards Aang. He put a hand on the Avatar's shoulder, causing the young boy to look up at the Colonel as he said, "Good luck, Avatar Aang. We're all counting on you and the Fire Lord to restore the honor of the Fire Nation."

"We will," assured Aang with a certain nod. "I promise." The Colonel grunted behind his helmet as he nodded, giving Aang a quick pat on the shoulder before slipping out of the Throne Room. Aang and the others made their way towards Zuko, who suddenly seemed uneasy now that he was alone with his friends.

"Hey, guys," Zuko managed to nervously chuckle as he rubbed the back of his neck, watching as Aang, Katara, and Sokka stopped just in front of him. He thought it was kind of strange how Sokka was eyeing his cape, but what really concerned him was the unwavering and stern gaze that Aang held on him. "What's up?" he asked in a feeble attempt to lighten the mood.

Just as Aang opened his mouth to reproach Zuko, Katara did the honor for him, stepping right up to Zuko and glaring straight up at him, pressing a pointed finger into his chest as she exclaimed, "Don't you 'what's up?' us, Zuko! We saw the whole thing! You could have hurt that Minister!" Aang couldn't help but be surprised at Katara's sudden change in attitude, going from frightened during Zuko's explosion to authoritative and admonishing. Even Zuko was just as surprised as Aang was, staring down at Katara with wide amber eyes.

"It was an accident-" Zuko tried to explain.

"Accident, my hair loopies!" incredulously declared Katara, reaching up and pulling on Zuko's ear, much like how her own mother had done whenever Sokka got into trouble when he was younger. Not even taking pity at Zuko's wincing face as she jerked his head down towards her, she put her free hand on her hip as she firmly said, "You, Mister Fire Lord, need a healing session to get rid of all this stress!"

"But-"

"And no buts, either!" she interrupted, yanking on his ear and making him cringe from the pain that resulted. "I'm giving you a healing session, otherwise all of this stress is going to eat you alive! Are there any rooms here in the Palace with spas in them?"

"The Royal Baths," answered Zuko, praying to Agni that no guards or servants were watching him be scolded by Katara. The ramifications on his image would be catastrophic, not to mention all the hushed snickers that were sure to happen behind his back. Glancing up at his other male friends, he said, "Aang, Sokka, your gifts are waiting in the room that I've provided for you. Just ask one of the guards outside to escort you; they'll lead you safely there."

"In the meantime," decided Katara, letting go of Zuko's ear and allowing him to tenderly caress his throbbing ear, "_you_ are going to lead me to the Royal Baths. We're not doing anything related to the Harmony Restoration Movement until you've calmed down." Zuko, knowing that there was no use in arguing with Katara at this point, simply nodded.

Just as Zuko and Katara began to walk off, Sokka called out, "Hey, Zuko!" As the Fire Lord looked back, Sokka pointed to his cape and asked, "My gift doesn't happen to be a cape like that, is it? Because that would be really awesome!" Katara rolled her eyes with annoyance, knowing that her brother _would_ ask a dumb question like that.

"No," was Zuko's blunt response before he and Katara exited the Throne Room, leaving the Avatar and the Water Tribe warrior alone with only the dais fire to keep them company.

"Aww, man!" complained Sokka, slumping his arms down by his side. "Why can't I ever get any of the cool stuff Zuko has? I mean, did you _see_ that armor he had on? Oh, _man_, is that get-up seriously cool! Am I right, Aang?" As Sokka posed his question, he looked over at Aang with a bright smile, which fell when he saw the downtrodden and desolate frown on the Avatar's face. Immediately concerned, Sokka put a hand on his friend's shoulder as he softly asked, "Hey, you okay, buddy?"

"She didn't even say good-bye to me…" Aang sadly murmured, holding his head down and staring forlornly down at the wooden floor, watching his shadow as it flickered in the light of the dais fire.

"Come on, Aang," piped up Sokka, patting his friend on the shoulder, "don't get so down. She had a good reason to go running off without saying good-bye to you: she wanted to help destress Zuko. Plus, you'll get to see her later on, am I right?"

"Yeah…" muttered Aang in half-hearted agreement, though he didn't sound very convinced. Sokka couldn't help but feel bad for the little guy; he knew how much Aang loved to be around his sister, how happy he was whenever she was in the same room as him. He had to do something to cheer his best friend up, but what could he do to help him?

In the end, Sokka decided that the best way to cheer up Aang was just to be there for him, at least until Katara came back.

"Let's get going to our room," decided Sokka, taking his hand off of Aang's shoulder. Optimistically smiling, he added, "Maybe Zuko's gift will cheer you up! He _is_ the Fire Lord, after all; think about all the wickedly sweet stuff he could have gotten for us!"

Sokka continued to talk about all the cool things that Zuko could have gotten for them as they walked out of the Throne Room and got a guard to escort them to their room, but Aang didn't seem very interested in what the warrior had to say. All he could think about was how Katara had run off without even saying good-bye to him. Yes, he knew that what she was doing to help Zuko calm down was important, but it still hurt that she didn't throw one smile his way as she left, not even a quick peck on the cheek or a "I'll see you later, sweetie." She had left him alone with Sokka, hurt and upset that she hadn't said one word to him since she had started berating Zuko.

He could at least try and take comfort in the fact that he'd see her later in the day, but it was still painful for him to be separated from his Forever Girl by any means.

"Here we are!" declared Sokka as he opened the door to their room, pushing Aang inside and breaking him out of his stupor. Looking around, Aang could see three beds arranged in the middle of the spacious, decorative room, set close enough for the respective occupants to talk to one another but set far enough apart that everyone had room to get out of their bed. The beds themselves were adorned with crimson, gold-lined covers with images of dragons and lotuses imprinted on them. The rest of the room was just as beautiful, showing off the finest cultural décor that the Fire Nation had to offer for the Avatar and his friends.

"Score!" Sokka exclaimed as he ran over towards the beds, having seen wrapped packages on each of the beds. He ran over towards the bed on the far right, looking down at the package and smiling as he said, "Hey, this one is for me!" There was a letter attached to the package with his name written in flowing characters. The same was true for the other two packages, though the package on the middle bed was Aang's while the last one on the far left was for Katara. Aang stopped by the side of his bed as Sokka eagerly ripped apart the wrapping of his package, desperately wanting to find out what he had gotten from Zuko.

"Maybe it's a dagger! Or maybe some armor! Oh, what if it's-" He stopped himself as he got to the true contents of the package, staring dumbfounded at his gift as he incredulously said, "_Clothes_?" Picking up the clothing and holding it up for both of them to see, they could see that it was a deep blue tunic tinged with alternating white and blue triangles at the bottom and a dark azure sash to hold it all together. Looking down, they could see that Sokka's new outfit also came with black, slick, fingerless gloves, a white pouch that could be slung over the shoulder, white wrappings that went on the forearms, and rugged boots. "He got me _clothes_?" groaned Sokka. "Man, that's just lame!"

Noticing something poking out from below the package, Aang said, "Wait, there's something else."

"There is?" hopefully asked Sokka, throwing his new tunic on the bed and reaching under the package to pull out a smaller, square package with a note attached to it. Reading the note, Sokka said, "'Dear Sokka, while my men were salvaging the destroyed airships in Wulong Forest from Sozin's Comet, one of them came across this in the woods. I thought you'd want to have it. Zuko.'" Tossing aside the note and ripping at the wrapping paper, he said to himself, "Maybe it's a piece of an airship, or maybe-" He cut himself off as the content of the package was reveled before his eyes, leaving him slack-jawed with such shock and astonished surprise that he was surprised that his jaw didn't unhinge itself from his face and clatter to the floor. His shock didn't last long, soon to be replaced with an exhilarated, wide-mouth smile as he voraciously tore the gift out of its paper prison and proudly held it aloft with both hands, happily exclaiming a single word…

"BOOMERANG!"

Aang burst out laughing as Sokka tightly hugged his beloved Boomerang, swaying back and forth as he loudly proclaimed, "You _do_ always come back!" He suddenly cocked his arm back, letting out a grunt as he flung Boomerang, expertly angling it so that it didn't hit anything in the room. He sighed with satisfaction as he caught Boomerang on its return, affectionately rubbing it against his face as he said, "Still as good as the day I lost you! It's good to have you back, Boomerang!" He slipped Boomerang into its sheath, which he always kept on his back despite having not having Boomerang for a month, and flexed his shoulders, appreciating the return of Boomerang's weight to his back as he said, "Zuko, you've really outdone yourself!"

"I still can't believe that they managed to find that," said Aang, pleasantly surprised by the return of Sokka's signature weapon.

"You can say that again," agreed Sokka, pulling Boomerang out of its sheath and tossing it back and forth between his hands, fondly smiling at the familiar, cold steel as it touched his fingers. Grabbing his new clothes, he said, "I'm going to change into this new outfit Zuko got for me." As he walked over towards the door to their changing room, which on the wall closest to Sokka's bed, he said, "Why don't you see what Zuko got you?"

"Good idea," nodded Aang as Sokka slipped into the changing room, latching the door shut behind him. The Avatar turned around to face his bed, picking up the note attached to it as he read, "'Dear Aang, contained in this package is a new outfit that's based off of the one you had during our time at the Western Air Temple onward. However, my personal tailor managed to find some Air Nomad scrolls in the Royal Library, so your new outfit will be as close as possible to what your people could have given you. Also contained in this package is something that I found in Fire Lord Sozin's private archives, something that could have belonged to one of your past lives that I think you, as the Avatar, should have. Zuko.'"

Setting aside the note, Aang tore open the package, grinning as his eyes fell upon the familiar orange and yellow colors of his people. Revealing more of his new outfit, he could see that the half that would adorn his upper body were indeed identical to the outfit he had during the time after the invasion, but his pants were yellow in color, unlike his black Fire Nation pants that he had before.

Setting aside his new clothes, Aang reached down and picked up a beaded necklace, holding it up so that he could see it better. It was much like his Airbending medallion necklace, but this new one was quite different: instead of one etched, wooden medallion, there were now four, each of which had a different bending symbol engraved in it with a small red tassel attached to the bottom. Going in order, Aang saw the different symbols of bending: Airbending, Waterbending, Earthbending, and Firebending. "This is a meditation necklace," realized Aang, his eyes widening with surprise.

Figuring that Sokka would be in the changing room for a while, Aang decided to change into his new outfit. After six minutes, Aang stood before a mirror, taking in his new look with a proud smile. He did indeed look very much like he had just before Sozin's Comet, but now he looked more like an Air Nomad than he had during that time. "Well, how do I look?" came Sokka's voice from the changing room. Aang looked over at his friend to see him adorned in his new outfit, posing himself in warrior stance with Boomerang in hand.

"You look pretty good, actually," commented Aang as he walked over towards Sokka, who sheathed Boomerang and stood back up to normal height.

"You don't look too bad yourself," chuckled Sokka, giving his best bud a playful punch in the arm. "Now you look like a _real_ Avatar."

"As if I didn't before," retorted Aang with a joking roll of his eyes, laughing along with Sokka at their shared joke. The two of them crashed on their beds, choosing to wait for Katara until she got back from her healing session with Zuko.

* * *

><p>"Here we are," announced Zuko as he pulled back the curtain, allowing steam to billow out of the Royal Baths. He and Katara slipped inside the humid room, which was filled with one large, spacious hot spring in the middle of the room with a changing screen in the back.<p>

Katara allowed herself a quick smile as she felt the bountiful amounts of moisture in the air, knowing that it would help in the healing process, before turning serious again as she turned to Zuko and authoritatively said, "Take off your clothes."

Despite himself, the Fire Lord instantly burst out into a violent, uncontrolled blush as he turned to look at Katara with surprise. "Um…do you mean right here?" he dumbly asked, his nervousness getting the better of him.

"Yeah." Trying hard not to bust her gut at the very look of panic on Zuko's flushed, wide-eyed face, she sighed with exasperation and bluntly said, "Of course not right here, Zuko! I meant behind the changing screen!"

Zuko blinked a few times, wishing that his cheeks would stop burning. "Oh…right. Sorry." He flicked his eyes between her and the changing screen a few times before he half-stumbled, half-walked towards the changing screen, disappearing behind it just before the sounds of armor being discarded filled the room. After a few minutes, he asked, "Could you at least turn around before I come out and get into the bath?"

Katara restrained herself from growling in annoyance, substituting her reply with a curt "Fine" before crossing her arms and turning around to face away from the bath. His request satisfied, Zuko slipped out from behind the changing screen and lowered himself in the water, allowing the steaming liquid to rise to his chest before he made his way over towards Katara. The Waterbender turned around to face Zuko, not even seeming fazed by the fact that he was shirtless; after all, she had seen both him and Aang shirtless back during their Firebending training on Ember Island. "Are you finally ready?" she asked as she pulled a stream of water from the bath, allowing her birth element to sheathe her hands completely.

"Yeah," nodded Zuko as he turned around and rested his back against the low bath wall, positioning himself so that Katara had easy access to his head, which she knew is where all of his stress was located.

Katara placed her hands on either side of the Fire Lord's head, pouring her chi into the liquid and making it glow as she said, "Now just try to relax, Zuko. If it helps, you can talk to me about other things while I'm getting rid of your stress."

"I'd appreciate that, Katara," said Zuko, sighing a little with relief as he felt her energy pour into his being. He could feel her energy tugging at a tight knot in his mind, a hard and stubborn bundle of worrisome stress that had made his aching head its home. "So," he began, sagging his shoulders and smiling a little as he felt a part of the bundle spring loose, "are you and Aang still dating?"

The Waterbender allowed herself a small smile at the mention of her boyfriend, lightly chuckling as she said, "Of course we're still dating, silly. When we got to the South Pole, my Dad found out from Sokka that we were dating, and he ended up having a _long_ talk with both Aang and I."

"I'm guessing he gave you and Aang his blessing to be together?" ventured Zuko, closing his eyes and smiling at the tranquil calmness slowly penetrating his being, as if a gentle breeze were blowing through his mind, calming all of his troubling anxieties and casting them away to the wild unknown.

Katara didn't respond for a bit, pulling more water out of the air into her gloves and pouring more energy into the healing process. "Yeah, he did. He's actually really glad that Aang's dating me."

"That's good," nodded Zuko, tilting his head up towards her and opening his eyes so that he could see her. She couldn't help but laugh a little at the totally relaxed look on his face, how droopy his eyes seemed to become as she worked.

"Don't move too much, Zuko," teased Katara, pressing her glowing hands to the sides of his head and forcing him to look straight forward again. "If you keep moving around, I can't get rid of your stress."

"I just wanted to look at you," replied Zuko, smirking even though she couldn't see his face. "You certainly seem a lot happier now that you and Aang are dating." She couldn't help but smile and blush, knowing that her friend was indeed right.

"Well…" she began, trailing off as she found herself thinking of Aang: how his tender smile just set her heart aflutter; how each and every kiss he gave her was just as magical and wonderful as the one they had shared on the balcony of _The_ _Jasmine Dragon_; how his kindness and sincerity in everything he did for her made her just want to cry out of happiness and hug him as tight as her arms could; how his playful and innocent nature made him ever so precious to her, treasuring every moment that she spent with him as if it would never come again. She gave off a soft chuckle, fondly smiling as she quietly said, "Yeah, I really have been a lot happier ever since we started dating."

Both of them were silent for a bit, the only sounds filling the room being the hissing of steam and the low, vivid thrum coming off of Katara's glowing hands.

After a while, as Katara felt the tense bundle of Zuko's stress unravel even farther, she asked, "So where's Mai? I thought she'd be here at the Palace with you."

"She's on vacation with her family on Ember Island," answered Zuko, closing his eyes again and letting the soothing warmth of the bath seep into his skin and bones, loosening his taut muscles and relieving them of unbearable pressure. "They left about a week ago, around the same time I sent you that letter, and they should be back in about a month or so."

"Guess she wasn't happy about leaving, was she?" guessed Katara, knowing how close the Fire Lord and knife-thrower were to one another.

"Not really," admitted Zuko with a shrug of his shoulders, sending out small ripples throughout the bath water. "She wanted to stay here with me and make sure that things went smoothly in the Palace, but her parents insisted that she spend some time with them and her baby brother, Tom-Tom."

"Aww, I remember Mai's little brother!" gleefully exclaimed Katara, smiling as she remembered the little Fire Nation baby from her and her friend's second trip to Omashu. "He was just the _cutest_ little guy!" she delightfully cooed, loosening another lump of stress from the bundle in Zuko's mind, shifting her fingers ever so slightly as she did so.

"Yeah, I guess he's a bit cute," said Zuko, not really sounding very enthused.

"Come on, Zuko," jested Katara, "even someone like you has got to have a soft spot for kids. Aang certainly does."

"Well, I'm not Aang," shot back Zuko with a sly smile. "And if they were my own kids, maybe I would have a soft spot for them."

"So you'd want to have kids whenever you get older?"

"Of course," earnestly replied Zuko, as if it should have been obvious. "Well, that is whenever things in the world have calmed down enough for me to consider getting married, but the point's still the same: as the Fire Lord, I have to have an heir to the throne, and the only way to do that is to have kids."

"I think that your kids would be just as great at Firebending as you are," commented Katara, feeling the bundle of stress rip apart at the seams the more she worked at it. She proudly smiled to herself, glad to be making a difference for the young Fire Lord.

"You really think so?" hopefully asked Zuko, glancing at her out of the corner of his good eye.

"Of course I do," insisted Katara, pulling a couple thin streams of moisture from the air into her liquid gloves. "Out of all the Firebenders I've met – not including Aang – your Firebending is probably the best I've seen. Don't get me wrong, I love watching Aang Firebend, but there's just something about you whenever you Firebend…you just seem so focused and determined, and you're always working to improve your Firebending. Even with the level of mastery that I saw you demonstrate during Sozin's Comet, you know that there's always some way for you to be even better, and that's what makes you a great Firebender. If your children are anything like you, I'm sure they'll grow to be proud and strong, just like their father."

Zuko seemed to enjoy Katara's praise of him, as was evident by the broad smile that he sported on his face. Dipping his chin down a little, he sincerely said, "That's really kind of you to say, Katara."

"I'm just speaking the truth," shrugged Katara, seeming modest about her praise. "You're a good person, Zuko; there are so many wonderful and admirable things about you, things that will make you a great Fire Lord that the people of the Fire Nation can be proud of." Feeling the last bits of Zuko's stress melt away into the bath water, she hugged him from behind, resting her head on his shoulder as she said, "We're here with you now, Zuko, and there's no way that we're going to leave you anytime soon. One way or another, we're going to fix the world by removing the colonies, and we're going to do it together." She brightly beamed at him, showing her friend just how truthful she was being, and his silent smile in return meant that he understood her sincerity.

"Thank you, Katara," he appreciatively said as she let go of him, positioning himself so that he could look at her. His head felt so clear, so collected and calm now that his Waterbending friend had worked her healing magic on all of his worries and anxieties. Running a hand through his shaggy black hair, he added, "I feel much better now."

"Just try not to blow up on us anytime soon, okay?" joked Katara, reaching over and ruffling Zuko's hair as she chuckled. "We don't need a Fire Lord who's spewing fire out of his mouth with every word that he says."

"I'll try not to," replied Zuko as he batted her hand away, smiling at her playfulness. "Why don't you wait outside?" he suggested, motioning to the partition curtain. "Once I'm dressed, I'll take you to the room where you and the others are staying at. I have to talk to Aang anyway, so I'd be getting two things done at once."

"Sure," amiably nodded Katara, getting up and slipping through the curtain, leaving the Fire Lord alone in his bath.

Zuko softly smiled after Katara had left, quietly saying to himself, "I really do have some great friends." He got up out of the water and dried himself off with his Firebending before disappearing behind the changing curtain, once more donning the armor of his office.

Once he was ready, he escorted Katara from the Royal Baths to her room, the two of them discussing possible plans for the colonies along the way. At one point, Zuko said, "I'm thinking about reintroducing classic Fire Nation culture to my people. That way, the returning colonials and my people here in the Fire Nation will at least have something in common as they learn more about their past."

"I think that's a good idea," agreed Katara. "Aang knows a lot about Fire Nation culture from a hundred years ago, so I'm sure he'll be able to help you out."

"That's what I'm counting on."

Finally, after about ten minutes, Zuko brought Katara to her room, gesturing to the door as he said, "Well, here we are. Aang and Sokka should be inside already."

"Thanks, Zuko," smiled Katara as she gave her friend an appreciative pat on the cheek. "I'll send out Aang right away." Zuko merely smiled and nodded in response as Katara removed her hand from his cheek, opening the door and entering the room. As she closed the door, she noticed Aang and Sokka look up from their places atop their respective beds, their eyes focusing on her as she walked in.

Aang, needless to say, instantly brightened at the sight of her, leaping off of his bed as he cheerfully exclaimed, "Katara!" Faster than she could blink, he sprinted towards her with his Airbending, capturing her in a mighty embrace that she found herself returning with hearty laughter.

"Easy, sweetie!" she teased, patting her boyfriend on the back and struggling to contain her mirthful giggles. "I wasn't gone that long- mmph!" She was promptly cut off as his lips fused with her, leaving her breathless as her eyes fluttered shot, smiling as she leaned into the passionate kiss. After several long, absolutely eternal seconds, his lips parted from hers, lovingly smiling at her as she stared wide-eyed and panting at him. "Goodness…" she breathed in amazement, her heart racing wildly in her chest. "What was that for?"

"Payback," he replied, chastely kissing her on the lips, "for running off to heal Zuko without saying good-bye to me." It took Katara a few moments to realize that he was being serious, eliciting a painful pang of guilt to rip through her heart.

"I'm sorry, Aang," she sincerely apologized, pulling him into a tender hug. "I didn't mean to make it seem like I was brushing you off." Coming out of their embrace and holding Aang at arm's length, she added, "It's just…Zuko really needed help, and all I could think about was healing him in order to get rid of his stress. I wasn't even thinking about you when I was scolding Zuko." Giving Aang an adorably pitiful look that would melt anyone's heart, especially his, she sheepishly asked, "Can you ever forgive me, Aangie?"

He warmly smiled at her, touching his forehead to hers as he affectionately whispered, "I'll _always_ forgive you, Forever Girl, no matter what happens." She gently smiled at him, silently nuzzling her nose against his as he made a pleasant sound in the back of his throat.

"If you two are done being weird," interrupted Sokka, causing the couple to look towards the bed, "I've got something to show you, Katara." Beaming as he proudly held up what he wanted to show her, he happily proclaimed, "I got Boomerang back!"

"No way!" Giving Aang a quick peck on the cheek before leaving his side, she ran about halfway towards Sokka before she stopped and turned back towards Aang, saying, "Oh, I almost forgot; Zuko's waiting outside to talk to you, Aang." The Avatar quickly nodded his acknowledgment, leaving Katara to rush back over to her brother as she asked, "How in the world did you get Boomerang back?"

"Well, if you'd take a seat by me," said Sokka as Aang began to slip out through the door, "I'd be more than happy to tell you." Sokka's voice was lost as Aang closed the door, leaving the siblings to themselves as he brought himself face-to-face with Zuko.

"Katara said you wanted to talk to me?" asked Aang, getting right down to business.

"Yeah," nodded Zuko. "Walk with me," he beckoned, moving past Aang and advanced down the colossal hallway, the Avatar close by his side. Zuko was quiet for a while, leaving Aang to wonder what was on his friend's mind. After fifteen minutes, they emerged out by the Gardens, cherry blossoms blissfully floating on a lazy wind and ascending ever higher into the tranquil azure sky. Zuko stoically stood by the railing, folding his arms behind his back and letting his unwavering amber gaze drift out over the serene Garden. Aang looked up at the Fire Lord, waiting for him to speak his mind.

After a pregnant pause, Zuko said, "Aang, things are only to get tougher from here on out. I just need to know one thing…" He looked down at Aang, his sharp, regal eyes hard and firm and his gaze serious as he resolutely asked, "Are you still willing to keep the promise that you made to me back in Ba Sing Se?"

A dark cloud nestled into Aang's mind, lowering his face towards the ground as he closed his eyes, his heart laden with recurring sorrow and regret. It had been almost a month since he had taken Zuko's promise, that dreadful, binding agreement that would lead to Zuko's demise should it need to be fulfilled. After Ba Sing Se, he had tried to forget about the promise so that he could focus on being happy with Katara and Sokka in the South Pole, allowing himself to enjoy his little vacation without the overbearing burden of the promise hanging over his head.

Seeing how much pain and anguish Aang was in, Zuko said, "I know that you don't like the promise because of your values of nonviolence, but this is important to me, Aang. I need to know if you're willing to keep your promise if I ever turn into my father."

Heavily sighing, Aang opened his eyes and looked up as he said, "Zuko, I _do_ understand how important this is to you. And as much as I despise the promise…I am willing to keep it." Holding a finger, he quickly added, "But I would talk to you first, try to work out our problems _before_ I'm forced to keep my promise." He dropped his hand back down as he said, "You're my friend, Zuko; I don't want to have to keep that promise."

"I understand how hard this is for you, Aang," insisted Zuko, turning to face Aang better, "but you and I both know that it's something that it has to be done. The safety of the world is more important than our friendship. If I go bad, you have to set aside your personal feelings and end me, otherwise the world might be plunged back into war, and everything we've fought for will have been for nothing."

"But you're not your father!" protested Aang. "You're not going to end up like him!"

"We don't know that," countered Zuko. "Like I said back in Ba Sing Se, the Fire Lord's throne comes with a lot of pressures, and those pressures could change me. You saw what happened to me in the Throne Room with Minister Qunti. Who's to say that I'm not going to get worse as time goes on?"

"Because all of your friends are here to help you," replied Aang. "We're going to make sure nothing bad happens to you."

Zuko humorlessly scoffed, directing his attention back out towards the garden as he sardonically said, "Tell that to the assassins."

This immediately caught Aang's attention, forcing his eyes to snap wide open as he shockingly said, "Wait- what did you say?" Zuko, who seemed just as surprised as him, looked back at Aang with a perplexed expression.

"You haven't heard?" asked Zuko, as if Aang should have already known this. "There have been two attempts on my life in the past month."

"WHAT?" exclaimed Aang, his jaw dropping down in bewilderment and astonishment. The very thought that someone had actually tried to physically harm, and _kill_, his friend was awful and absolutely terrible. "Why didn't we hear about this before?" demanded Aang. "Don't you think that it would be kind of _important_ if the rest of us knew that?"

"I've been able to keep the situation under control," calmly replied Zuko. "With Colonel Shunjin leading my personal guard, there hopefully shouldn't be any more assassination attempts in the future." Seeing Aang's unconvinced expressions, he sighed and added, "Look, I get that you're upset because I didn't tell you this vitally important thing, but assassination attempts are just part of the pressures of being the Fire Lord. If I came running to you every time someone tried to stick a knife in my back, don't you think that my people would think that I couldn't handle assassination attempts on my own? If I can keep myself calm and collected despite the fact that there are people out to get me, then I can instill confidence and trust in my people."

Aang studied Zuko for a few moments, taking in his words and fully processing them. The Fire Lord did have a point, but it still seemed unreasonable that he hadn't informed him and the others to the fact that people have already tried to do away with him. "Zuko, you do realize that if an assassin does end up killing you, the entire Harmony Restoration Movement will fall apart?"

"Of course I do," assured Zuko, "and that's why I'm taking every precaution that I can in order to prevent that from happening. Besides, I have no intention of letting some low-life scum kill me off, not after everything I've done to get to this point."

"I guess you're right…" glumly admitted Aang, shrugging his shoulders ever so slightly. Aang knew Zuko was being as cautious as he could be, but he couldn't help but worry for his friend's safety. Zuko was a pivotal figure in the Harmony Restoration Movement; without him, the colonies would never be removed from the Earth Kingdom, and the world would fall back into disarray once more. Deciding to focus more of his energy on removing the colonies, Aang sidled himself up as he cleared his throat, asking, "So, what's the first colony that we're going to?"

"I'm glad you asked," smiled Zuko, seeming glad to get off the topic of assassinations. Leading Aang back into the Palace halls, he said, "If we have any hope of removing the colonies as efficiently as possible, we'll have to start with the most recently established ones. They won't have very deep roots in the Earth Kingdom, so they'll be the easiest to remove. You, Katara, and Sokka will take a ship, the one I reserved specifically for the Harmony Restoration Movement, and head for the Shou colony. It's a small village in the far south of the Earth Kingdom's western coast."

"Who's in charge of the Shou colony?" asked Aang.

"Mayor Pianzi," replied Zuko, looking down at Aang. "You shouldn't have much trouble with him or the rest of the colony, though; Shou is the most recently established colony, so it's also the smallest, which means that not a lot of colonials live there. The Shou colony will help to serve as a model for how the Harmony Restoration Movement will deal with the rest of the colonies." The Avatar and the Fire Lord continued to discuss matters concerning the colonies, letting time fly by until they found themselves back at Aang's room.

Once their conversation came to an end, Zuko sighed and said, "Well, I'll see you guys later. Be ready to head out tomorrow morning; it'll take you a few days to reach Shou."

"We'll be ready," assured Aang with a firm nod, giving his friend a quick hug before slipping back into his room, leaving the Fire Lord to return his duties. Once inside, he found Sokka still lying on his bed, cuddling with Boomerang as if it were Foo Foo Cuddlypoops. At that moment, he saw Katara come out of the changing room, immediately catching his attention and pulling his eyes towards her like the tidal waves being pulled by the moon.

Katara looked completely different: she had on a light blue, high-collared tunic which allowed her necklace to still be in view; white wrappings on her forearm and blue wrist gauntlets; a light blue, flowing kilt with a white wave-crest tingeing the edges; and gray leggings and brown shoes with white crests at the heel. Her hair was fashioned in her Fire Nation style braids that hung down and a top-knot on top of her, but also retaining her signature hair loopies, her flowing hair down her back, and a slight bun on her head. A water skin hung by her side, also patterned in the same alternating-blue-and-white-triangle style as Sokka's tunic, and her outfit was kept together by a white sash tied at the midsection of the upper tunic.

"Wow," gasped Aang, walking over towards Katara as she smiled at him, "you look fantastic, Katara."

"You're pretty handsome yourself," she warmly shot back at him, meeting him halfway and giving him a quick peck on the lips before hugging him, smiling as she rested her head on his shoulder. The two came out of their embrace, leaving Katara to ask, "So what did you and Zuko talk about?"

She and Aang seated themselves on Sokka's bed as Aang recounted his discussion with Zuko, telling them every little detail. They were comforting and supportive of him whenever he told them that he had discussed the promise with Zuko, and they were also shocked and horrified when he told them about the attempts on Zuko's life. They were very much interested in what he had to say regarding the Shou colony, the first of the dozens of Fire Nation colonies that they would remove from the Earth Kingdom.

When Aang was finished recounting his discussion with Zuko, the three of them fell silent, looking back and forth at one another with expectant and apprehensive expressions. This was their destiny: to restore the balance and harmony of the world by removing the colonies. They knew that it would come to this, but it all seemed so sudden that it was almost unreal. Finally, Aang wearily sighed and decisively said, "Well, guys…I guess this is it. Tomorrow, the Harmony Restoration Movement will really get underway, and we can finally start rebuilding the world."

"It's all kind of scary when you think about it," timidly admitted Katara as she played with one of her braids, biting her lip out of nervousness. "For so long, we've always talked about fixing the world, but now…now, we're actually going to do it. Are we really ready for this?"

"Are you kidding?" laughed Sokka as he sat up, holding Boomerang in his lap. "We're _Team Avatar_; there's nothing we can't do!" Brightly smiling at his companions, he added, "Besides, as long as we stick together, we'll always pull through. Am I right?" He put his hand in the center of them, saying, "Put 'em there, guys! A good old team salute ought to put us in the spirit!"

Aang grinned as he put his bare hand on top of Sokka's gloved hand, saying, "I'm all in for that."

"So am I," added Katara, smiling as she laid her hand on top of Aang's, letting her fingers lightly rub on the Avatar's skin. Aang smiled over at her, winking at her to indicate that he had indeed felt her softly rub his hand, leading her to gently smile and blush back at him.

"On three," instructed Sokka, "we shout 'Team Avatar' and throw our hands up. Got it?" Aang and Katara both nodded to indicate their agreement, and Sokka began to count: "One…"

"Two…"

"Three!"

"TEAM AVATAR!"

* * *

><p>AUTHOR'S NOTE:<p>

You still alive by this point? Good. XD Anyways, credit goes to **Carrot-Bunny** for the idea of having Sokka train the Imperial Firebenders how to fly Appa. She thought it would be a great way to inject a does of the hilarity that we all remember from the show, so I'm giving my thanks to her for that incredibly awesome idea. :) The next chapter's already written up, so expect the usual update next week. Thanks to all of those who are persevering with this story; your support is greatly appreciated. :D

Oh, and by this point, everyone is now adorned in their "The Promise" outfits, in case my (lousy) description of their new clothes made things a bit confusing. :P

Remember my advice, my loyal readers:

_**BUY THE BOOK, AND SUPPORT THE WORK OF THE PEOPLE WHO STRIVE SO HARD TO BRING THIS INCREDIBLE STORY TO US.**_


	19. First Step Towards Harmony

So you all managed to get through my long chapter last week, and now here you are again for more. What do you get? ANOTHER LONG CHAPTER! XD Hey, what I can I say, I'm eager to get on with show. Can you blame me for being proactive on this fic? :P Anyways, on with the epicness! Enjoy and review! :D

OH! And I'm at over 10,000 hits on this story! How incredible is that? 8D

**DISCLAIMER:** I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender. The show and its characters belong to Mike and Bryan, the brillant geniuses behind one of the greatest cartoon shows in the history of cartoons. Their work is legendary, and I salute them for it. I also do not own "The Promise" story, which is written by Gene Yang, and is also the property of Mike and Bryan. I am simply help to spread the news of the upcoming story and do not take any responsibilty for the development of the story itself; I am only going off of what is known thus far.

**First Step Toward Harmony**

"There it is, guys," announced Zuko, gesturing out to the vast harbor before them as they walked towards it. "Your ship." Aang, Katara, and Sokka looked out to see a Fire Nation battleship ahead of them, the pitch-black metal glistening brightly in the early morning sunlight, the pointed bow facing out to the endless sea. They could all see the crew bustling about, shouting orders and loading various supplies onto the ship for its departure.

When Aang and the others had asked Zuko why only one ship was being given to the Harmony Restoration Movement, the Fire Lord had given them the same reasons he had given Minister Qunti: he had to reserve all of the other Fire Navy vessels for the defense of the Fire Nation itself, as well saving dozens of other ships so that they could take part in the future trade routes between the Earth Kingdom and the Water Tribes. Also, Zuko had said that it was clear from the colonial letters that they wouldn't leave if he sent regular Fire Nation troops to disband the colonies; if the Avatar was personally present, there would be almost no arguing against his authority. Aang didn't like having to force his Avatar status on other people to get them to leave the colonies, but Zuko admitted that it was the only way that the Harmony Restoration Movement would ever succeed.

What caught Aang's attention as he looked at the ship, though, was the banner attached just below the bridge on both sides: a large, brown flag with a circular white field tinged blue. Four symbols were arranged on the white field, and, going in a clockwise fashion from the upper left-hand corner, Aang could see that the pattern was this: Waterbending, Earthbending, Airbending, and Firebending.

Pointing to the banner as they all kept walking, Aang turned his head towards Zuko and asked, "What's up with that banner on the ship's tower, Zuko?"

The Fire Lord looked down at the Avatar with slightly confused eyes. "Hmm?" Seeing where Aang's finger was pointing, he said, "That's the official seal of the Avatar, as well of the Harmony Restoration Movement." He returned his gaze to Aang as he added, "Wherever you go in the world, all people have to do is look for that seal, and they'll know it's you."

"I think it's kinda cool," commented Sokka. "In a way, it's like the personal flag of Team Avatar."

"I didn't think of it that way," remarked Katara, adjusting her water skin on her hip so that it wouldn't fall off. She suddenly thought of something, and she looked towards the others as she asked, "Hey, has anyone seen Appa?"

"Oh no!" exclaimed Aang, slapping his forehead as his eyes went wide. "We forgot all about Appa! I'll go get him right now!"

"There's no need," assured Zuko just as Aang took a few running steps back the way they came, making the group stop as they watched the Avatar. When Aang turned around and gave Zuko a questioning look, the Fire Lord put his mind at ease by saying, "Appa and Momo are already on board the ship; I had Likai and Quan fly them down here just before I woke all of you up. They should be on deck whenever we get there."

Sokka grunted, pulling Boomerang out of its sheath and fiddling with it as he said, "Sounds like someone has a plan all put together. I don't think I've ever seen you manage your time so well, Zuko."

The Fire Lord shrugged his armored shoulders, starting the group back towards the ship as he said, "When you're the ruler of an entire nation, managing your time is all you can do to ensure that everything goes smoothly."

"If only Sokka could learn to manage his time as well as you do," joked Katara, giving her brother a playful nudge in the arm as he shot an annoyed glare at her.

"I can too manage my time well!" protested Sokka, huffily sheathing Boomerang and crossing his arms as he annoyedly pouted at his chuckling sister. "Remember how I planned out the Invasion?"

"Yes," nodded Katara, slyly smiling, "but that's only because that was something really important. When there's nothing going on, you're as lazy as can be! You'd much rather sleep in bed all day than do anything else!"

"That's only because I like sleep," reasoned Sokka, closing his eyes and tilting his head away from her in a feigned attempt at being snooty. "Sleep makes me a happy guy, so that's why I sleep a lot."

"I'm afraid I'm going to have to agree with Katara on this one, Sokka," chuckled Zuko, his somewhat taut face relaxing slightly as he smiled.

Sokka spluttered, his jaw and arms simultaneously dropping as he gawked at the Fire Lord. "_Zuko_," he childishly whined, "you're supposed to be agreeing with _me_, not _her_!"

"I've learned that it's never wise to go against your sister in an argument," astutely stated Zuko, folding his arms behind his back. Smirking as he glanced over towards an incredulous Sokka, he added, "She tends to be right most of the time."

"You're too sweet, Zuko," teased Katara, smiling at his words. Realizing that her boyfriend was still in the vicinity, she turned back towards him and quickly added, "Of course, no one's as sweet as my Aang." Reaching back to grasp his hand, she slowed down until she was walking next to him and lovingly pecked his cheek as she warmly said, "You're the only one for me, sweetie."

Aang couldn't help but blush and grin like an idiot, lightly kissing her cheek in return as he affectionately said, "And no one's as wonderful as you, sweetie." She chuckled and rested her head on his shoulder, leaving him to rest his head on hers. Sokka let out a silent gag as he rolled his eyes, actually feeling sick to his stomach because of the young couple's sappiness.

Zuko, who had been watching as Katara hung back to walk with Aang, looked over at Sokka with a weird expression, good eyebrow raised as he silently mouthed, _Sweetie?_

_Don't ask_, Sokka mouthed back, dismissively waving his hand and glancing off towards the ship. He was a bit mad that Aang and Katara had already forgotten about no public oogies; but then again, lovers would be lovers, and, to Sokka, the two of them were about as crazily in love as anyone could possibly be. It was expected that they'd do weird things when they were together, and he knew that he would have to eventually get used to it. Of course, there was no getting past the dreaded _oogies_.

Soon the four of them reached the boarding ramp, where a Fire Navy officer and a couple Firebending soldiers stood. Aang and Katara let go of each other's hand, the former taking his place up by Zuko's side as the naval officer noticed them coming and turned towards them. The officer was dressed in the armor of a Ship Captain, as indicated by the sharply curved prongs on his helmet. He had a short black goatee and a wispily-thin mustache, his face friendly and amiable while also having a commanding edge to it. "Good morning, Fire Lord Zuko," greeted the officer as he and the Firebending soldiers behind him bowed in the traditional Fire Nation fashion.

"Good morning, Captain Hemu," replied Zuko, stopping just before the Captain and his men, resulting in his friends also stopping with him. As Hemu and his men came out of their bow, Zuko gestured to his companions and said, "Captain, these are my friends: Avatar Aang, along with Katara and Sokka of the Southern Water Tribe."

"It's an honor to meet such great heroes," respectfully said Hemu with a smile, he and his men also bowing to Aang and the others even as they bowed in return. As they all came out of their bows, Hemu clasped his hands behind his back as he said, "Fire Lord Zuko has personally assigned me as Captain of the ship reserved for the Harmony Restoration Movement." Turning to Aang, he added, "Avatar Aang, my men and I will be helping you and your allies to move the colonials and all of their belongings back here to the Fire Nation."

"That's very kind of you, Captain," smiled Aang. "My friends and I are going to need all the help we can get in order to remove the colonies." Just then, he heard a mighty and familiar bellow belt out from the deck of the ship. Aang and the others immediately perked up, turning their heads towards the deck as Aang happily exclaimed, "Appa!" Before anyone could speak, Aang launched himself up on a blast of air, sailing over everyone's heads and landing on the metal deck of the ship.

He was immediately tackled by his Animal Guide, who pinned him to the deck with his front paws and eagerly greeted him with a full-body lick as Aang heartily laughed, saying, "Good morning to you too, buddy!" Appa contentedly grumbled as Aang reached up and affectionately petted his nose, lightly licking his hand this time around. Finally, the Sky Bison allowed his master to get up, nuzzling his big face into Aang's hand, eliciting a small smile from the Avatar.

Momo alighted on his head just then, chattering as he dropped his little head down to look into Aang's eyes. "Morning to you too, Momo," cheerily said Aang as he scratched behind the Lemur's ear, provoking a soft purr from the small animal. Looking back at Appa, Aang noticed something hanging from either side of the saddle: a smaller version of the same banner that was hanging from the ship's central tower. "Hey," he said, moving over to the Bison's side that was closest to the boarding ramp as Momo flew back up into the saddle, "when did this get here?"

"My men had it fitted on him whenever we got him down here," answered Zuko from behind him, having ascended to the top of the ramp with both Katara and Sokka. As Aang turned to face them, Zuko added, "Some of the colonies are further away from the Earth Kingdom coast then others, so that's why Appa had to have the same banner as the ship; that way, whenever you go to the inland colonies, the colonials will know who exactly is coming and why."

Katara walked up to Appa, standing on the opposite of his head from Aang and reached up to scratch behind the Bison's ear, smiling as she cheekily said, "Well, I certainly think Appa looks very handsome with those banners hanging from the saddle. It makes him look more official." Appa appreciatively rumbled in his throat, closing his large eyes and rubbing his snout into Katara's palm, making her giggle at his touch. Aang couldn't help but smile at the sight as he ran his hand through Appa's fur, knowing how much his furry companion loved Katara.

"Your Majesty." Team Avatar turned around to see Captain Hemu standing behind them. "Everything is nearly ready for our departure. We should be out to sea within the hour."

"Excellent work, Captain," proudly commended Zuko, genuinely smiling at Hemu. "I knew I was right with giving you command of this vessel for the Harmony Restoration Movement. You certainly don't mess around."

Hemu confidently beamed, straightening his back as he said, "My men are nothing but the best in the entire Fire Navy, and I take my duty as Captain very seriously. A task of this importance and magnitude requires a stout, loyal crew and a Captain who would never lead his ship and men astray."

"I have no doubt that what you say is true," assured Zuko, "and I'm eagerly looking forward to seeing the result of this colonial mission."

"One way or another, Fire Lord Zuko," replied Hemu, folding his arms behind his back, "we'll get the Shou colony to disband and return to the Fire Nation." Gesturing to Team Avatar, he added, "As I'm sure you're all aware, the Harmony Restoration Movement _cannot_ fail, and I will see to it that all of you succeed in this endeavor." Team Avatar all smiled as one, bowing in synchronized fashion as Hemu bowed back to them, each party silently showing their respect for the other. Everyone came out of their bows, and Hemu went off to oversee the rest of the pre-departure preparations.

"He seems like a very honorable man," commented Aang once Hemu had walked off, causing his friends to look over at him.

Zuko affirmatively grunted as he nodded, saying, "Hemu is one of the best Captains in the whole Fire Navy. It's a miracle that I got someone as skilled as him to put in charge of this ship."

"See? Things are already working out for you, Zuko," pointed out Katara, walking over towards the Fire Lord. Putting a hand on his armored shoulder, she added, "There are a lot of people here in the Fire Nation who admire and respect you, people who are going to be more than willing to help you out in these tense times. You have to learn to keep those kinds of people close by you; that way, they can help you against those who don't think you should be on the throne."

Zuko smiled as he put his hand on hers, chuckling as he said, "You sound just like my Uncle."

"And is that such a bad thing?" questioned Katara, taking her hand off his shoulder and ruffling his groomed hair.

"Of course not," honestly replied Zuko, batting her hand away as he smiled down at her. "That's one of the biggest compliments I could ever give someone." His gaze drifted out towards the rising sun, his amber eyes glistening as his smile grew, softly saying, "If only Uncle were here with me right now, how proud he would be…" The Fire Lord grew quiet, his thoughts turning to those of his beloved Uncle. He hadn't talked to his Uncle in what seemed to be ages, and he began to wonder how his Uncle was doing in Ba Sing Se…

His thoughts were interrupted, however, as he heard Hemu brightly announce, "Wonderful news, my Lord!" Zuko and his friends looked behind them to see Hemu standing there, his smile pleasant and immensely pleased as he said, "Preparations ended a few minutes ago. We can depart for the Earth Kingdom immediately."

"Fantastic, Captain!" praised Zuko, broadly smiling at Hemu. Katara found herself smiling as she watched Zuko, glad that her healing session had indeed helped the Fire Lord to become a bit more at ease, personable, and relaxed. She dearly hoped that this new demeanor of hislasted, but even she knew that there wasn't always going to be a time when she could fix Zuko's stress levels. She decided that she would help Zuko whenever she could, even if any healing sessions that she'd have with him would be few and far between. "Be sure to give our praise and compliments to your men. Tell them that we truly appreciate all of their service and intense dedication to our cause."

"My men would be glad to hear such a thing, your Majesty," humbly replied Hemu, bowing to the Fire Lord again before heading off to complete more of his official duties. Team Avatar was left to its own devices, every member looking back and forth at each other, no one wanting to say the first 'good-bye'.

Finally, Zuko smiled, trying to put everyone at ease, and said, "This is it, you guys…we're really going to do it. We're going to rebuild the world." Looking at Aang, Katara, and Sokka all in turn, he proudly added, "If anyone's capable of fixing the world, it's us, and I'm honored to be such great friends with all of you."

Katara sweetly smiled at Zuko's words, walking up to him and embracing him, letting him hug her back as she said, "We're all in this together, Zuko. Friends always stick together, and that's just what we'll do." She tilted her head up towards Zuko's face and gave him a sisterly kiss – Aang knew it was only a sisterly kiss because Zuko didn't react in a way that indicated affection or hidden feelings, and Katara didn't extend the kiss beyond a quick peck - on his scarred cheek, amiably saying, "Take care of yourself, Zuko." Coming out of their embrace, she patted him on the arm and teasingly said, "Try not to get yourself killed again while we're gone."

"I can't make any promises," joked Zuko, chuckling at the slight pout that sprouted on her lips and the annoyed twitch in her eyebrow. "I'm _kidding_, Katara." In order to appease her, he said, "I'll keep myself safe from assassins." Raising a hand like he was swearing before an official of the law, he seriously added, "I promise."

"You better," joined in Sokka, walking up to Zuko as the Fire Lord dropped his hand, "or otherwise we'll never hear the end of Katara's rant about how you should have taken better precautions." The two older teenagers chuckled with one another, much to Katara's displeasure, and firmly clasped the other's forearm, a deep symbol of respect and comradeship in the Southern Water Tribe. "Seriously, man, take care of yourself," said Sokka, his voice full of concern. "Last thing we need is for one of us to end up dead."

"I'll make sure that doesn't happen," assured Zuko, lightly squeezing Sokka's arm in affirmation of his statement. The Water Tribe warrior and the Fire Lord quickly embraced each other with their other arm, patting each other on the back before separating. Zuko walked over to Aang and said, "We're making history today, Aang. Let's show the world that the Avatar and the Fire Lord can accomplish great things together."

"I wouldn't have it any other way," smiled Aang, embracing his dear friend just as he had before he was crowned Fire Lord. The Avatar and his Firebending teacher separated from one another, giving the other a quick smile before Zuko disembarked on the ramp. Once he reached the stone dock, he turned around and folded his arms behind his back, looking up at the ship and patiently waiting for it to depart from the harbor.

Zuko noticed Hemu appear at the side of his friends. Figuring that everything was in order, he called out, "Are you ready for your departure, Captain Hemu?"

"All hands at their stations and awaiting further orders," replied Hemu.

"Very good," nodded Zuko. Raising an arm in blessing, he shouted, "I, Fire Lord Zuko, now declare the Harmony Restoration Movement officially begun!" Dropping his arm to behind his back, he commandingly said, "Captain Hemu, full speed ahead to the Shou colony."

"At once, my Lord," obediently acknowledged Hemu with a firm nod. The Captain turned towards the control tower and shouted, "Helmsman, full speed ahead to the Shou colony!"

"Aye, Captain!" called down the helmsman from the tower. Ten seconds later, the ship lurched and thundered to life, coal-black clouds spewing out of the smokestacks as the metal beast slowly crawled forward in the water, the gray-black hull thrumming with the repeated churning of the rear propellers and their subsequent engines.

Aang, Katara, and Sokka all leaned over the edge of the ship, waving down at Zuko as Aang cheerfully exclaimed, "See ya, Zuko! We'll see you in about a week!"

"Make me proud, you guys!" Zuko called back, smiling as he waved his own hand in farewell. The ship began to pick up speed, effortlessly gliding through the small waves emanating from the open ocean as the vessel continued to push forward. Zuko couldn't help but smile even harder as the ship pulled out of the harbor, growing ever smaller as it pulled away from the Capital Island, knowing deep in his heart that history was being written before his shining amber eyes.

History was indeed being made that day, and the Avatar, Master Waterbender, and Water Tribe warrior were sailing straight into the ever-shifting veil of the uncertain yet tangible future.

Once the ship had pulled far enough away from the Capital Island, Katara looked at Hemu and said, "Captain, can I ask you a question?"

"Of course, Master Katara," pleasantly acquiesced Hemu, looking over towards her and the others. "My men and I are completely at your disposal. Ask us anything."

Keeping on hand on the edge of the ship, Katara turned towards Hemu and asked, "Would it be at all possible for me to use my Waterbending in order to increase our speed? I figured that since we're in kind of a hurry because of the colonies, I could help out however I can."

Hemu considered Katara's proposal for a moment, resting his chin in his hand as he thoughtfully hummed. Once his mind was made up, he dropped his hand and said, "I believe that this ship can handle a little bit of extra speed. After all, Empire Class battleships are designed to penetrate ice fields hundreds of miles wide; if you were to use your Waterbending to increase our speed, there shouldn't be any problems."

"So I have your permission to make us go faster, Captain?" courteously asked Katara, not wanting to seem rude.

Much to her relief, Hemu burst out laughing, holding his gut with one hand. Once he recovered, he cleared his throat and chuckled, saying, "You don't need my permission, Master Katara. You and your friends are much higher ranking than I am, so if you feel like you can do something that will add to the success of our mission, then you can go ahead and do it." Winking at them, he added, "Captain's orders."

Katara brightly smiled, giving Hemu a little curtsy as she gratefully said, "Thank you, Captain. I didn't want to feel like I was overstepping your command."

"By all means," laughed Hemu, his voice playful and friendly, "do so!" Spreading his arms wide, he added, "I have no problem with you overstepping my command. Like I said, do what you feel is necessary for our mission to succeed." Katara merrily smiled and nodded before running off towards the bow of the ship, taking a relaxed stance as she began to sway her arms. The ship began to visibly pick up speed as the waves grabbed at the hull, pulling the metal behemoth through the water with even greater ease than before.

"I can help her out!" exclaimed Aang, remembering his own Waterbending abilities.

Just as Aang was about to run off and join Katara, Hemu stopped him by saying, "A word before you do that, Avatar." Aang helplessly looked over at Katara, who seemed intently focused on her task and therefore didn't see his gaze, leaving him to disappointedly sigh and look back towards Hemu. "When I first told my crew that you were to be one of our distinguished guests on board this ship," explained Hemu, "my Firebending crewmembers, the ship's security force, were wondering if they could possibly hold a sparring match with you."

"A sparring match?" echoed Aang, raising an eyebrow as he felt Momo land on his shoulder. "Why would they want that?"

"A chance to test their skills against the famous Avatar Aang," replied Hemu. "As for my personal opinion, I believe that this would be a perfect opportunity for you to get acquainted with more people from the Fire Nation. Considering how Fire Lord Zuko is your friend and ally, wouldn't you agree that it would be necessary for you, as the Avatar, to become more familiar with the nation that you and your friends are working with to restore balance to the world?"

"He does have a point, Aang," piped up Sokka, walking up next to Aang. "The only friends that we had from the Fire Nation during the War were Zuko, Iroh, Jeong Jeong, and Piandao; everyone else like Ozai, Azula, Zhao, and the entire Fire Nation military were out to get us." Gesturing to Hemu, he added, "The Captain's right; a friendly sparring match with the ship's Firebenders would be a great way for us to get to know one another. Well, get to know one another without trying to _kill_ each other, but that's beside the point."

Aang considered Hemu and Sokka's arguments, glumly admitting to himself that they were right. He slumped his shoulders and heavily sighed, briefly glancing down at the deck of the ship before looking up at Hemu and saying, "Alright, Captain. I'll spar with your men."

"Excellent," pleasantly smiled Hemu. He bowed slightly to Aang and said, "I'll go inform Sergeant Yi and his men immediately." As he came out of his bow, he gestured to Aang and Sokka as he said, "In the meantime, feel free to explore the deck." Aang and Sokka both nodded their acknowledgment, and Hemu walked off to the mid-deck stairs that led to the innards of the ship.

Sokka looked over at Aang, seeing that the young Avatar had an annoyed scowl on his face. Irritated, Sokka frowned and downwardly angled his eyebrows as he said, "Don't give me that look, Aang."

"What look?" huffed Aang as he leaned on the ship's railing, letting his angry eyes stare out at the endless sea. Appa took off into the sky at that moment, lazily hanging next to the ship as Momo glided beside him.

"Aang, I'm not an idiot," explained Sokka, hopping onto the railing so he could look down at Aang, who turned his eyes away from the warrior as he mounted the railing. "You're mad at me for saying that you should get to know some of the crew better with this sparring match rather than letting you hang out with my sister and help her with the whole Waterbending-the-ship thingy."

Aang scoffed, letting his hand float over the edge of the ship, pulling up a small stream of water from the ocean to his fingers and absent-mindedly playing with the liquid as he asked, "Why is it that I get the feeling that you're doing this to keep me away from Katara?"

"I'm not," firmly insisted Sokka. "Look," he sighed, putting a hand on Aang's shoulder, "I know you love my sister a lot, and I really am glad that the two of you are dating each other." As Aang twirled the small water stream in between his fingers, Sokka added, "But what you need to understand is that there's a time to be Katara's super-sappy-and-totally-mushy-boyfriend, and that there's a time that you need to act as the Avatar who's supposed to be fixing the world."

Aang flicked his hand down at the waves below, casting his water stream back to its home as he glowered down at the undulating sea. Seeing how Aang was unconvinced, Sokka continued his assault. "Aang, I'm not doing this to be mean to you or to keep you away from Katara. We still have a job to do; whenever we're out on these kinds of missions, we need to be focused only on that and nothing else. Whenever all the work's been done for the day or there's nothing to do, then that's when you can hang out with Katara and be as oogierific with her as you want to be."

The young monk tiredly sighed, closing his eyes and dipping his chin downwards, letting Sokka's words roll through his mind. Even with his eyes closed, he could always feel Katara in his heart, her azure eyes and loving smile permanently imprinted into his vision. Opening his eyes halfway, Aang quietly said, "Sokka, I fought so hard and sacrificed so much just to be with her…I just want to always be there for her, to always be by her side and to let my love for her grow."

"I know," assured Sokka, his voice becoming soft and gentle as his face relaxed. "If there's anyone in the world who deserves my sister, it's you. You're the one guy who always makes her smile like there was never any war, like there was never any pain or sadness in her life. I get that you really care about her, but you need to learn that there's a time to be her Aang, and that there's a time for you to be the Avatar the world needs." Shrugging, he admittedly added, "I may sound like I'm repeating myself, but it's the truth."

"I know…" sighed Aang, closing his eyes again as he felt guilt wash over his heart like a crashing wave of pain and regret. "I was just being an idiot, that's all."

Sokka chuckled, patting his friend on the shoulder as he smiled and said, "Aang, you weren't being an idiot." Aang opened his eyes and looked up at Sokka with a questioning expression, leading the warrior to add, "You're just in love. Katara's always on your mind and you always want to be around her. There's nothing wrong with that." Aang kindly smiled up at Sokka, glad to hear his best friend speak so truthfully. "Of course," admitted Sokka as he hopped off the railing, turning around to face out towards the ocean as he too leaned on the railing, "people who are in love do act like idiots sometimes, so even _you_ can act like an idiot when it comes to Katara."

Aang groaned his exasperation and frustration at Sokka's last statement, slamming his forehead against the railing. _So much for that…_ he glumly thought to himself, feeling a slight welt make its home at the tip of his head arrow. "Thanks for that, Sokka…" he grumbled as he removed his forehead from the cold metal, pouting as he rested his chin on his arms.

"No problem, buddy," chirpily replied Sokka, cheekily grinning down at the Avatar. Just then, they heard a series of armored footsteps walking towards them from the mid-ship stairs. Aang and Sokka both looked towards the source of the noise to see a group of ten men striding towards them, all of them adorned in standard Fire Nation armor and the skull helmets associated with Firebenders.

Aang and Sokka let go of the railing as the group of Firebenders reached them, the one in the lead saying, "Greetings, Avatar Aang." As he and his men bowed, the helmeted Firebending said, "I am Sergeant Yi, and these are my men." All ten Firebenders came out of their bow at the same time as Yi said, "It's truly an honor to meet someone who's bending skills are the stuff of legends."

"Thank you, Sergeant," kindly said Aang as he nodded, feeling slightly disconcerted by the fact that he couldn't see Yi's face behind his skull face-plate. He figured that Yi wasn't going to take off his helmet anytime soon, given the fact that the helmet was part of the uniform, so he decided to just try and get used to having so many nameless, faceless people staring down at him behind those startlingly white masks. Looking around at the assembled Firebenders, he asked, "Is this all of your men, Sergeant?"

"No, Avatar," replied Yi as he shook his head. "I have about twenty other men down below. We've decided that we'll go in groups of ten for each sparring session."

"Doesn't seem like a whole lot to me," observed Aang.

"This is a peace-time vessel," diligently explained Yi. "In times of war, we would carry about a hundred to almost three-hundred Firebenders; however, as part of the Harmony Restoration Movement, we're here now only for security reasons."

"Look on the bright side," perked up Sokka, holding up a hand in point. "At least you're taking on ten Firebenders at the same time and not _thirty_ of them."

"Oh, I'm sure the Avatar could manage to take on all of us at the same time," said Yi with great certainty, as if it were nothing but an accepted fact. "Having been trained by Fire Lord Zuko himself, I have no doubt that Avatar Aang's Firebending prowess is indeed exceptional. However, for the sake of our mission, we don't to risk hurting the Avatar. It certainly wouldn't be good for the Harmony Restoration Movement if one of its key members were severely injured in a friendly sparring match." Gesturing to the open deck of the ship, Yi asked, "Shall we get then started then, Avatar?"

"Of course," nodded Aang. He walked past the Firebenders, who followed him as he walked out to the middle of the deck and waited as the ten Firebenders arrayed themselves in a circle around him. Aang was completely unafraid, choosing to sit down and take on a meditative pose as the Firebenders got ready, closing his eyes and bringing his fists together so that his arrows faced each other.

"Are you sure you don't wish to stand, Avatar?" asked Yi, who was about fifteen feet away from Aang, the amount of distance that all the Firebenders were standing from the Avatar. "I don't want to feel like we're putting you at a disadvantage."

"You don't have to worry about me, Sergeant," calmly replied Aang, focusing on his breathing and the flow of the Universe's energy around him. "Come at me whenever you're ready."

Yi hesitated for a bit, but finally complied with Aang's request as he said, "Very well, Avatar." Holding his open palms out in front of him, just like all of his other men were doing, he added, "I trust you know what you're doing."

"I do," assured Aang, remembering the lessons he had taken from Toph the first time he had learned to Earthbend. He was to wait and listen, anticipating the perfect moment to retaliate and strike back at his enemy in the most efficient way possible. Even though he couldn't feel as well through metal as well as his Sifu Toph could, he could still hear the Firebenders' breathing, their constant intakes and exhales of air rasping against the metal of their helmets.

Katara, who had been entirely focused on her task of Waterbending the ship through the waves, noticed Aang and the Firebenders out of the corner of her eye. She immediately became wary of the aggressive stances that the Firebenders were in as well as the totally non-aggressive posture Aang was in. Concerned for her boyfriend's safety, she called out, "What's going on over there, Aang? Why are all those soldiers surrounding you?"

"Just a friendly sparring match with the ship's Firebenders, Katara," replied Aang, raising his voice just enough for it to carry over to her ears. "Nothing to worry about; I've got it all under control."

Katara couldn't help but feel uneasy and unsure as she frowned, continuing to move her hands back and forth as she worriedly said, "Just be careful, alright? I don't want you getting badly burned."

"I'll be careful," promised Aang, letting a slight edge of affection and deeply-rooted love imbue his vow so that Katara's mind would be put at ease. All was silent for the next few moments, nothing but the steady breathing of the Firebenders and the endless thrumming of the waves against the hull of the ship pounding in his ears and echoing in his mind. He stoked his inner fire, drawing energy from the rising sun and allowing his breath to meld with his chi, storing his flames within his body until he unleashed them at his will and command.

Suddenly, Aang heard a Firebender on his immediate right shout out a war cry and rush towards him, fire daggers springing to life in his clenched fists. Aang could feel the energy emanating from the Firebender's fiery daggers, allowing him something to focus on as he waited for the right moment to strike.

When the Firebender was within six feet of him, Aang's eyes snapped open. Quicker than the blink of an eye, Aang dropped onto his back and rapidly spun, blasting arcs of flame from his feet that collided with the Firebender and threw him backwards. Just then, two more Firebenders from behind Aang thrust forward with clawed hands, blasting streams of crackling flames at him. Jumping to his feet, Aang quickly kicked through the two fire streams with spinning kicks, punching fireballs of his own in return. The two Firebenders who had shot at him blocked his fireballs, allowing three of their comrades to rush in and further encircle the Avatar.

One Firebender on Aang's left launched himself forward in a flying kick, blasting a stream of fire from his foot as he flew. Aang speedily dodged the attack and its sender, bringing up his right foot in a blazing roundhouse that the Firebender blocked with a raised arm. His counter-attack thwarted, Aang quickly backed off only to find the other two Firebenders at his back, their hands completely ablaze. Blasting a burst of fire from his feet, Aang quickly flipped backwards over the Firebenders' heads as they rushed at him.

One Firebender from either side of Aang kicked upwards at him as he flipped over their comrades, shooting fireballs from the soles of their feet up at the Avatar. Seeing the attacks coming, Aang thrust his arms outward, blasting billowing fire streams from his open palms as he blocked the fireballs. Two Firebenders, the same ones who had fired at Aang after he knocked out one of their own with his backspin attack, rushed forward just as his feet touched the deck of the ship, believing him to be open to attack as they blasted a combined fire stream attack from their fists.

Aang, however, was far from being helpless in his current situation, having expected an attack to come from behind. Though his back was to the attacking Firebenders, he quickly spun around and blocked the attacks with jabs of his hands, dropping down into a sweeping kick that knocked the two Firebenders back onto their rumps.

"Woo, Aang!" cheered Sokka from the sideline, watching as Aang flipped over another Firebender and knocked him out a blast of fire to the back. "Show these hot heads who's boss!" Slashing his hand through the air in front of him, he exclaimed, "Firebending slice!"

"I don't think that works as well as 'Airbending slice'!" shouted Aang, ducking under a flaming roundhouse kick from Sergeant Yi.

"Sure it does!" yelled Sokka, cupping his hands around his mouth in order to amplify his voice over the constant roaring of flames. "Try it!"

Deciding that he had nothing to lose, Aang turned on the nearest Firebender as he ran towards him. Slashing his arms in the space in front him, Aang blasted a crest of flames from his fingers that slammed full-force into the Firebender, forcefully throwing back onto the deck of the ship as his armor smoked. Thankfully for Aang, the Firebender quickly recovered, sitting up and giving a quick thumbs-up to indicate that he was unharmed. Aang excitedly smiled, having found a new technique for him to use with his Firebending.

"Told ya!" proudly exclaimed Sokka, smugly smiling to himself. "'Slice' works with everything!"

The rest of the sparring match went by very quickly: having already knocked out five of the ten Firebenders, Aang swiftly made short work of four others, hitting two with fireballs from his fists, one with a low sweeping kick, and one that he knocked out after streaming his own fire back at him. Soon, only Sergeant Yi was left standing while the rest of his men, having been defeated, made their way over to the sideline where Sokka was at. They all watched as Aang and Yi continued to jab and kick at one another, constantly blasting fire at the other in a seemingly graceful yet combative dance of skill and determination.

"The new Fire Lord trained the Avatar well," commented a Firebender who was standing next to Sokka. "He's the most amazing Firebender that I've ever seen."

"You bet he is," affirmed Sokka as he crossed his arms, leaning back against the railing as a confident smile spread itself on his face, watching as Aang and Yi continued to duke it out. "You should have seen him during the Comet. Now _that_ was some real Firebending!"

"I can't imagine fighting the Avatar during Sozin's Comet," remarked another Firebender who was sitting down on the deck with his back against the railing, checking his armor to make sure it wasn't damaged. "I think that only the Fire Lord himself would be the only one capable of matching the Avatar with that much power."

"Fire Lord Ozai _did_ have that capability," pointed out another Firebender, who was sitting next to the Firebender who had spoken, with a raised finger, "but he was defeated by the Avatar, remember?"

"Good riddance to bad rubbish, I say," voiced a third Firebender who was standing off to the side, conjuring up a fireball in his hand and dismissively twirling it in his fingers. "We're better off without Ozai." The other Firebenders murmured their agreement, nodded their helmeted heads ever so slightly. "If there's anyone who can restore the honor of the Fire Nation, it's Fire Lord Zuko."

"You mean you guys aren't against the Harmony Restoration Movement?" asked Sokka, directing his question towards the Firebender who was playing with a fireball in his hand.

"Why should we be?" questioned the Firebender as he snuffed out his fireball, looking over at Sokka. "If the only way to restore the honor of the Fire Nation after the Hundred Year War is to remove the colonies from the Earth Kingdom, then that's what we'll do." Placing a hand on his armored chest, he added, "It's our duty to Fire Lord Zuko to aid him and his allies in the decolonization process, and I for one am _proud_ to be a part of this movement." He gestured to his comrades with open arms as he asked, "Am I right, men? Aren't we all honored to be a part of something so grand for our great Fire Lord?"

"Yeah!" cheered the other eight Firebenders in agreement, raising their fists into the air. "All hail Fire Lord Zuko!" Sokka couldn't help but chuckle and shake his head in amazement, thinking how it was crazy how Zuko had gotten so many people to like and hate him at the same time: those liking him being the ones involved in his protection and those who supported him and the Harmony Restoration Movement, and those hating him pretty much being everyone else who didn't like him because of what he was doing.

Suddenly, they heard Yi cry out, and they all looked over to see the Sergeant being blasted back by a billowing column of snapping flames, slamming into the deck and skidding several feet towards the control tower. Everyone looked over to see Aang standing in the middle of the deck, both his fists extended outward and his right leg braced against the deck, heavily panting as he tried to recover from his fatigue. He rose back to his normal height as Yi stood up from the deck, brushing off his armor and chuckling as he said, "Well, I must say, Avatar, that was indeed the most intense sparring match I've ever been a part of." Walking over towards Aang, he added, "You are certainly a skilled Firebender, one worthy of recognition and praise all throughout the Fire Nation."

"I appreciate that, Sergeant," smiled Aang, bowing slightly as Yi stopped in front of him. "It was an honor to spar with you and your men."

Yi bowed in the traditional Fire Nation fashion as he said, "It was honor for my men and I to test our skills against you, and I can say without a doubt that you are one of the best Firebenders that I've ever seen." Both Aang and Yi came out of their bows, nodding their respect to one another as Yi said, "The rest of my men will visit you sometime later today for your next two sparring matches. In the meantime, please enjoy your stay aboard our ship."

"I will, Sergeant," replied Aang. "I look forward to sparring with the rest of your men." Yi nodded once more to Aang before motioning to his men, gathering all of them to his side before they all departed for the mid-ship stairs, disappearing into the innards of the mechanical beast.

Once the Firebenders were gone, Sokka walked over to Aang's side as he cheerfully exclaimed, "That, my friend, was _awesome_!" Coming up on Aang's side, he gave the Avatar a hearty and friendly slap on the back as he proudly said, "You totally smoked all of them with your Firebending!" The ever-comedic genius paused for effect, toothily grinning at Aang. "Get it? You _smoked_ them with your _Fire_bending? Y'know, 'cause smoke comes from fire and-"

"He gets it, Sokka!" shouted Katara from up at the bow, looking back at the two boys as they looked at her in turn. Warmly smiling at Aang, she added, "Great work out there, Aang. Looks like all that Firebending training with Zuko really paid off."

"Thanks, Katara," appreciatively replied Aang, sheepishly rubbing the back of his head as he smiled and blushed, touched by her words. What made him blush even harder - not that he didn't mind blushing because of her - was when Katara also blushed as she glanced off to the side of the ship, letting her eyes occasionally flicker over at him as she smiled.

"_Oh no_," said Sokka, knowing that look in the couple's eyes, reaching over and grabbing a handful of Aang's robes, "we're not having any of that." Dragging Aang towards the mid-ship stairs, he added, "You, Mister Avatar, need to mingle with the crew some more. You can play kissy-face with my sister later."

Deciding that there was no arguing with Sokka at this point, Aang let the warrior drag him off towards the mid-ship stairs as he returned his attention to Katara and called out to her, "I'll talk to you later, Katara! Keep up the good work!"

"I'll be sure to!" called back Katara, turning her head towards him. "Love you, sweetie!" Before Sokka protested or complained about the oogies, she blew a quick air kiss to Aang, who eagerly caught it and held it close to his heart, lovingly smiling at her as she blushed and returned her arms to their Waterbending work.

"Love you even more!" Aang called back to her as he and Sokka descended the stairs, causing Katara to drop out of his view. Disappointed as he was at the moment at having been separated from Katara, Aang dreamily smiled to himself, knowing full well that he'd get to see her later on in the day.

Sokka, on the other hand, was incredibly annoyed, huffily pouting and incredulously muttering to himself, "Lovebirds. _Ugh_."

* * *

><p>The rest of the day was relatively uneventful, most of it pertaining to Aang and Sokka getting more familiar with the crew of the ship. Around lunch time, when Aang and Sokka were dining with the crew, Aang snuck off with a tray of rice and fresh fruits. Sokka, having noticed that Aang was missing, scoured the entire ship for the Avatar only to find him up on the bow hand-feeding Katara – who hadn't moved since that morning - the rice and fruit.<p>

Needless to say, Sokka dragged Aang off again and got him into another sparring match with more of the ship's Firebenders, trying to get his mind off of Katara for the time being and get him to focus on being the Avatar.

"It's like I'm this kid's parent," he angrily grumbled to himself at one point during the third sparring match of the day, holding his head in his hand and scowling every time he saw Aang so much as flick his eyes over towards Katara.

Finally, the day began to quiet down as the sun was laid to rest and the moon awakened to make its way through the starry sky, the pure white lunar orb orchestrating the ebb and flow of the inky black night. Appa, with Momo fast asleep in the saddle, comfortably rested on the deck, letting the constant rocking of the ship lull him to peaceful sleep.

Katara, still up on the bow of the ship, felt her powers significantly increase the higher the moon rose into the sky, inspiring her to continue her efforts to propel the ship ever farther into the sea. "Just…a little more…" she panted to herself, completely drained from the day's effort and yet forcing himself to surge forward, using her mastery of all things liquid to further the success of their mission with each wave of her arms.

Push and pull, she repeatedly commanded the water; drag the hull of the ship through the waves as quick as possible without damaging the hull. Help us out, she pleaded to the ocean; help us to fulfill our destiny once more so that we can restore balance to the world.

What seemed to be minutes stretched on into eternal hours, her only companion being the ever omniscient and silent Yue high above in the glistening, shifting veil of the sparkling heavens.

Suddenly, she felt a pair of strong, bare arms wrap around her waist, warm loving lips peck on the side of her neck in a tender kiss, and a playful yet amorous voice softly whispering against her skin, "You're going to end up killing yourself if you Waterbend the whole way there." Despite her immediate yelp of surprise as the pair of arms enveloped her, Katara managed to affectionately blush and smile at the sound of the voice, knowing only one person could elicit this sort of reaction from her.

Without stopping the flowing motions of her arms, Katara sighed as she closed her eyes and said, "Aang, it's important that we get to the Earth Kingdom as soon as possible." Throughout the course of the day, her mind seemed to have become totally fixated on their goal of reaching the Earth Kingdom, not even allowing the possibility of relaxing to ever cross her mind.

"Is the Earth Kingdom going anywhere?" teasingly questioned Aang, moving up to place a gentle kiss on her flushed cheek, eliciting a small yet uncontained sigh of pleasure from her mouth.

Opening her eyes, Katara began to breathlessly say, "No, but-"

"Then stop worrying so much," interrupted Aang, moving his hands up to grasp her arms and pulling them close to her waist, spinning her around so that their faces were mere inches from each other, intensifying her blush even more as her eyes widened. Both of them felt the ship begin to slow to its initial speed, now under its own power. Softly chuckling, Aang rested his forehead against hers as he whispered, "As much as I appreciate your willingness to get to the colonies as soon as possible, Katara, you need to take some time off for yourself."

"But, Aang," she retorted, desperate to get back to her task, "you and I both know how important this mission is. We _have_ to get the colonies out of the Earth Kingdom, otherwise there won't be any peace."

"True," agreed Aang, "but the colonies aren't going anywhere. They'll still be there in the morning, sweetie, and even the day after that. But right now, you need to get some sleep, otherwise you're going to collapse from sheer exhaustion."

Katara fell silent for a while, letting herself get lost in Aang's stormy gray eyes, her heart and soul alighting on the cloud of love and care that his gaze provided for her. She could see his worry and concern for her in his eyes, but also his adoration and admiration for her in his charming and irrespirable smile.

Feeling her will to resist slipping away the longer his face was framed in her eyes, Katara finally gave in, sighing as she nuzzled her nose into his and softly smiling as she quietly said, "Alright. I'm done working for the day."

"Good thing, too," gladly said Aang, pulling her closer to him. "I was getting really lonely."

"Then I'll make sure you're not lonely," assured Katara, closing her eyes and pressing her lips to his, smiling as she felt him satisfactorily sigh through the kiss.

Sokka, who was below deck looking for Aang, made his way up the mid-ship stairs as he said to himself, "Now where did he run off to? He hasn't played Pai Sho with the cooks yet!" As he vision peeked over the last step, he saw an all-too familiar sight: Aang and Katara wrapped up in each other's arms, their lips fused together in a passionate kiss. Sokka irritably sighed to himself, muttering, "Figured as much…" Coming up onto deck, he walked towards the couple as he shouted, "Come on, Aang! The cooks are waiting to play Pai Sho with you and-"

The Water Tribe warrior was cut off as he felt something wet forcefully splash against the side of his head, the shock scrunching his eyes closed and encasing his entire head in ice as he fell to the deck. Panic gripping at him, Sokka frantically stumbled to his feet, fumbling around for Boomerang on his back as he swore what felt like a strong wind rush past him and head down the stairs he had just come from. Finally getting a hold of his signature weapon, Sokka smashed Boomerang against his frozen head, grunting through the ice as he worked to free himself.

Mercifully, the ice block snapped in half, crumbling as it fell to the deck in chunks. Looking around as he gasped for air, he found that Aang and Katara were nowhere to be found. He felt his eyebrow angrily twitch as he fumingly growled, cocking his arm back and tossing Boomerang with an indignant "Argh!" Watching as his weapon sailed off into the darkness, Sokka snapped his head up towards the sky and flung his arms outward as he screamed, "Can't I ever get a break?" Turning around to glower at the mid-ship stairs, he irately crossed his arms and said, "Seriously, what else could _possibly _go wrong?"

Thankfully for him, Boomerang provided an answer for him on its way back.

_CONK!_

Sokka let out a painful cry as he fell to the deck, clutching the back of his head as Boomerang clattered to a stop next to him. Tossing himself onto his back, Sokka spread himself out on the deck as he shouted, "Well, I hope you're _happy_, Aang and Katara! You made me hurt myself!" Pouting up at the moon, he crabbily asked, "What am I going to do with those two, Yue?"

Yue, needless to say, merely smiled down with great amusement at her former love from her place in the night sky.

* * *

><p>AUTHOR'S NOTE:<p>

Remember my advice, my loyal readers:

_**BUY THE BOOK, AND SUPPORT THE WORK OF THE PEOPLE WHO STRIVE SO HARD TO BRING THIS INCREDIBLE STORY TO US**_


	20. Brewing Destiny

Hiya, folks! :D Me again with yet another chapter, though this time it's much shorter. :P I enjoyed writing this chapter, and I'm sure you'll enjoying reading it too. :) Anyways, enough of me; on with the story! Enjoy and review! :D

By the way, next week's chapter is over 15,000 words! *Evilly laughs as lightning strikes in the distance*

Also, I'd like to give credit to **Assassin's Creed Superfan **for giving me another idea to use for this chapter. :)

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own "Avatar: The Last Airbender". The show and its characters belong to Mike and Bryan, the brillant geniuses behind one of the greatest cartoon shows in the history of cartoons. Their work is legendary, and I salute them for it. I also do not own "The Promise" story, which is written by Gene Yang, and is also the property of Mike and Bryan. I am simply help to spread the news of the upcoming story and do not take any responsibilty for the development of the story itself; I am only going off of what is known thus far.

**Brewing Destiny**

The auburn-crimson sun hung like a motionless pendulum on the horizon, painting the legendary and vastly massive city of Ba Sing Se in a vivid tapestry that melded maroon with green and tan, like fired clay imbedded with dazzling jade crystals. The city was quiet with peace and tranquility yet also thrumming and bustling with life and sprightly energy.

In the Upper Ring of the walled city, tucked away for all to see and enjoy, was a lone tea shop, grand in its extravagance and flavor but also simple and humble to all those who partook in all it had to offer, whether it be tea of the most magnificent brew or timeless advice and sage wisdom that was just as filling and nourishing as any food or drink.

Iroh sadly sighed, steaming cup of Jasmine tea in hand as he let his aged eyes stare out at the setting sun from his spot by the entrance of the tea shop. Business for the day was over with, leaving the Dragon of the West with only his thoughts and his tea. "If only you were here, my beloved Lu Ten…" he sorrowfully murmured as he closed his eyes, hanging his head down as he felt an all-too-familiar ache gripped at his elderly heart. "If only you knew the peace that the world finds itself in now, not the violence and bloodshed that it was during your life."

Opening his eyes, which he felt leak a few tears, he looked up and held up his tea cup in salute, holding it high with pride as he said, "May you forever rest in peace, Lu Ten, the peace that you never knew in life." Bringing the cup to his lips, he let the warm liquid fill the inside of his throat, draining down to his sea of chi and bringing comfort and solace to the legendary Firebender. Iroh lowered the emptied tea cup from his mouth, wiping away the tears from his face before gazing out at the sun, drawing a shaky breath as he chokingly said, "I love you, my dear son."

Iroh turned around and made his way back inside _The Jasmine Dragon_, the vast emptiness of each and every table within being a lonely echo of the endless chasm that the death of his son had carved into his heart. Finding his way to the counter, Iroh set his empty cup on the counter, deciding that he would wash it later before moving on to put away the various trays and tea pots that lay strewn on the counter. The meticulousness and tidiness of it all really appealed to him, giving his quiet life a sense of order and structure since the departure of the Gaang a month before.

After a few minutes of rummaging around at the counter, he heard the slow padding of bare feet on stone, soon followed by the rapping of bony knuckles on wood. Without looking away from his task, Iroh said, "We're closed for the evening. Please come back in the morning." To tell the truth, he wanted to remain in peace and quiet for the rest of the evening in order to settle the disquiet that had settled in his heart whenever he remembered his son, to do everything in his power not to silently cry himself to sleep whenever he saw the smiling face of Lu Ten in his mind.

"Come on, Iroh," playfully said a spirited and chirpy voice, "not even for one more cup of tea?" Immediately recognizing the voice, Iroh's eyes went wide as he spun around to find himself staring at none other than Toph Bei Fong herself.

"Toph!" happily cried out Iroh as the blind Earthbender ran towards him. He met her halfway, both of them throwing themselves at each other in a powerful embrace of friendliness and companionship, laughing as longtime friends would at being reunited. Even as he held his young friend in his arms, Iroh could feel his sadness and grief alleviate from his heart, lifting the dark fog that would always settle in after a long day of work. Coming out of their embrace, Iroh looked down at Toph with a joyous smile as he disbelievingly asked, "What in the world are you doing here?"

"Long story," replied Toph with a casual wave of her hand. Tilting her head up towards his face, even though she couldn't see him, she brightly smiled and asked, "So, are we gonna have some of your world famous tea or what? I'm parched!"

"Of course," nodded Iroh, smiling so hard that it almost seemed painful. "After all," he added as he worked his way around the counter, leaving Toph to stand on the other side, "freshly brewed tea and good company always go hand-in-hand." Looking over at Toph with a smile as he brought out a tea pot, he kindly said, "And what better company to have than my dear friend Toph?" He chuckled at the ensuing blush on Toph's porcelain face, a touched smile gracing her petite features as he poured some water into the tea pot from a pitcher he kept close by.

"It's really good to see you, Iroh," sincerely said Toph, folding her arms on top of the counter and resting her chin on her hands as she continued to smile. "Well," she considered, blowing a bang out of her face, "not _see_ see you, if know what I mean."

Iroh chuckled again as he crumbled some Ginseng over the open tea pot, letting the spice fall into the water below. "I know what you mean, Toph," he assured her, picking up the tea pot with one hand, placing his other hand on the bottom and taking a deep breath as he let a flux of chi escape to the hand underneath the pot, heating the water with his Firebending. They were silent for a few moments as Iroh brought the water up to a boiling point, which was indicated by a high-pitch whistle that emanated from the pot. Smiling with satisfaction, Iroh set the pot down and took a spare cup out of the cabinet, pouring the Ginseng tea into it as he asked, "So what are you doing here in Ba Sing Se?" Handing her the cup, which she took from him, he added, "I thought you were visiting your parents?"

"I was," replied Toph, taking a small sip of the heavenly tea. "They finally accepted me for who I really am, and now we're closer than ever before. I even spent a couple of weeks with them, and they just let me be myself." After taking another sip of tea, she genuinely smiled and truthfully said, "Let me tell you, I've never been happier around my parents than in the two weeks that I spent with them after leaving here."

"I'm glad," said Iroh, smiling down at Toph. Stroking his beard, he thoughtfully added, "But that still doesn't explain what you're doing here now. Why did you leave your parents?"

"Because," replied Toph, taking a third sip out of her cup, "I wanted to go off and start my own Metalbending school. Zuko and the others are gonna be busy with the whole Harmony Restoration Movement thing, so it makes sense for me to go off and do my own thing." Waving her hand off to the side, she added, "They can deal with all those stupid politics and what not." Placing her hand on her chest, she closed her eyes and declared, "I, on the other hand, am doing my own thing."

"I certainly admire you for that," remarked Iroh. "You've always been strong on your own, and you want to be able to prove that to your friends."

"Exactly," smirked Toph, rubbing her fingers against the smooth surface of the cup, feeling every bit of earth that went into making it. "After I was done visiting with my folks, I headed over to Omashu to visit with Bumi for a bit. I even managed to beat him in an Earthbending match!" Even though she couldn't see it, Iroh's eyes immediately snapped open with astonishment and shock at her declaration.

"That's very impressive indeed," praised Iroh, an obvious edge of admiration in his voice.

"Yep," surmised Toph with a brief nod. She jerked a thumb towards herself as she proudly said, "You're looking at the greatest Earthbender of all time."

Iroh warmly chuckled, pouring himself a cup of Ginseng as he commendably said, "It's a fitting title for one as powerful as yourself." Turning towards her with his freshly poured cup, he added, "In all the years I've known Bumi, I've never seen anyone even come close to matching him." Raising his cup towards her, he smiled and said, "You have a great talent, Toph Bei Fong, and I know for certain that you'll change the face of Earthbending as we know it."

"I'll drink to that," agreeably said Toph, raising her own cup in a toast. "After all, anything that comes out of your mouth always ends up being true."

Iroh boisterously laughed, mirth heavily permeating his voice as he humbly said, "You give me too much credit, Toph. I'm merely a man who wants to live his life and help others along the way."

"Are you kidding me?" incredulously retorted Toph. "You're the coolest old guy I know! If everyone had an Uncle like you, I really think the world would be a better place!"

"Perhaps," agreed Iroh with a joking smirk, "but there's only one of me in the world."

"Then I'm glad that I'm friends with the only one of you," softly said Toph, honesty and sincerity imbued in her young voice. Iroh gently smiled, deeply moved by her truthful words, and raised his cup even higher in an amiable toast. Toph followed suit, and soon the two friends drank deeply from their cups of precious Ginseng.

Once they had finished off their tea, the two of them set the empty cups down on the counter with a soft _clink_ and immensely satisfied sighs. "So," said Iroh, striking up conversation once more, "where did you go after Omashu?"

"Well," began Toph, "here's the thing: if Bumi said that I beat him in Earthbending, he would tell me of a place that would be perfect for my Metalbending school. Since I beat him, he told me that the Yu Dao colony has the best metalwork in the whole world, so it would be just the place to open up my school."

"Ah, Yu Dao," knowingly nodded Iroh, "I know the place. The first of the Fire Nation colonies, settled on the western coast of the Earth Kingdom over a hundred years ago." Stroking his beard again, he added, "When the Harmony Restoration Movement reaches there, I can imagine that there will be quite a dispute."

"Speaking of the colonies," realized Toph, "have you heard much from Zuko since he left here? Last time I was with him was at Serpent's Pass just before he got on his personal battleship; I haven't heard anything from him since." Gesturing to Iroh, she added, "Seeing as how you're his Uncle, I'm sure you've heard from him."

"Sadly," forlornly sighed Iroh, his fingers absent-mindedly tracing the edges of his vacant cup, "I haven't heard so much as a word from my nephew in the last month. No letters, no messenger hawks, nothing."

Toph's face scrunched with annoyance as her lips curved downward, small hints of indignation furrowing her brow as she said, "I get that Zuko's busy being the Fire Lord, but even _he_ should be able to keep in touch with his Uncle every once in a while."

"Toph," said Iroh, hope to alleviate her anger towards Zuko's actions, "my nephew is merely trying to live out his own destiny. I believe that he wants to prove to his people that he can be a great and effective leader, and he believes that the only way to do that is through his own actions. I can't stop him from doing that just because I feel like he isn't devoting any of his time towards me."

"But you're his Uncle!" protested Toph, slapping her hand on the counter. "Even more than that, you're like his _father_! You've always been there for him, always made sure he was on the right path even when he thought he didn't need you! He should be writing to you every week so that you know how he's doing!"

"Please, Toph," kindly said Iroh, gently placing his hand on top of hers, "I know you're upset with my nephew, but you don't need to be. Growing up, Zuko has always had trouble figuring out his own destiny, but he was able to find the right path by helping Aang to defeat my brother. Now, he wants to find the right path on his own again, but it will be much harder for him this time around. He will be facing challenges much more difficult and strenuous than the ones he encountered during the War, challenges that may keep him from realizing his destiny as the Fire Lord who will help the Avatar to restore balance to the world."

"That doesn't mean he should ignore his own Uncle," retorted Toph, huffily pouting her lips as her eyebrows angrily slanted downward.

"I'm sure he isn't intentionally ignoring me," reasoned Iroh, "but right now, I believe that he is focusing all of his attention on being the Fire Lord and being the kind of ruler that his nation needs right now. He is setting aside his own personal feelings so that he can do his duty to the Fire Nation."

"But why aren't _you_ upset with Zuko?" inquired Toph, still very much aware of Iroh's aged hand on top of hers, a warm and comforting touch that sought to put her at ease and forget her troubles. "You're the one who's always been closest to him, so why aren't you mad that he hasn't even written you yet?"

"He is my Fire Lord now," firmly said Iroh, his voice firm and full of loyal pride. "If his Majesty wants to focus entirely on his royal duties, then I must respect his wishes and wait patiently until he finds the time to write to me. As I've said before, even I can't keep the ruler of my nation from performing his duty."

Toph gazed off in Iroh's direction, her unseeing eyes thoughtful and contemplative as they stared into his chest, as if to peer deep into his elderly heart and find out what his true thoughts were. Even through her seismic senses – for her feet were still planted on the floor – she could tell that Iroh wasn't lying about what he had said about respecting Zuko's choice to focus only on his Fire Lord duties and not on his extended family; not that the old man would ever lie to her, of course.

Heavily sighing, Toph closed her eyes and dropped her chin downwards, retracting her hand from Iroh's and returning it to her cup as she said, "You're right. It's just…" She opened her eyes and looked up at Iroh, even though she couldn't see him. "You're a good guy, Iroh, a really good guy, and you don't deserve to be pushed aside like this. If Zuko needs help from anyone, it's you."

"I understand your concern, Toph," gently smiled Iroh, "but I have no experience whatsoever in running the Fire Nation. I have never aspired to become the Fire Lord, even after my brother took the throne out from under me after my defeat at the Six Hundred Day Siege of Ba Sing Se. I believe that perhaps my nephew feels that he should rely on his own strength and the support of his friends before turning to his fuddy-duddy Uncle for advice."

Toph couldn't help but brightly smile and chuckle in amusement at Iroh's description of himself. "You're not a fuddy-duddy, Iroh."

The Dragon of the West softly smiled at Toph before taking a sip out of his cup, very much enjoying the blind Earthbender's company. Lowering the cup from his lips, he contentedly smiled and said, "So you went to Yu Dao to open up your Metalbending school, but here I find you in my tea shop in Ba Sing Se." Gesturing to her, he added, "Would you like to explain to me why you're here right now?"

Toph anxiously bit her lip, knowing that the conversation would have eventually steered itself towards this point. "Well…" she began, fiddling with her cup and restraining herself from bending the ceramic piece into a hundred different shapes in order to calm herself. "When the Earthbending kids in Yu Dao weren't able to Metalbend properly, I _kinda_ insulted and criticized them really badly, which _kinda_ led to every Earthbending master in town turning me away, which _kinda_ led to me talking to Mayor Morishita and making him so mad that he expelled me from the city, which _kinda_ led to me somewhat attack him and _sort of_ making me a fugitive from Yu Dao, which _kinda_ led to me needing a safe place to go, so…here I am." She sheepishly smiled a toothy grin at Iroh as she nervously laughed, her cheeks deeply flushed with embarrassment.

Iroh heavily sighed, holding a hand to his temple and closing his eyes with frustration and agitation as he muttered, "Of all the foolish…_why_ did you have to make enemies with a Fire Nation colony, Toph?"

"It wasn't intentional," meekly stated Toph, pursing her lips ever so delicately. "It just…sort of happened," she added with a miniscule shrug. "I told Morishita that none of the Earthbending kids in Yu Dao had the stuff to be Metalbenders and that they really weren't Earthbenders, which made him super mad and throw me out the city. He told me that I couldn't come back until I 'learn some humility'." She added the last part with air quotes before dropping her hands down to her cup. "So right now, my Metalbending school's a bust, and I'm on the run from the Yu Dao militia. I can't go back home; my parents would be really disappointed in me, so that's why I came here. If I stay here with you for a few months, things in Yu Dao should cool off enough for me to go back and try to fix things with the Mayor."

"I hope for your sake," grimly warned Iroh, "that Morishita even allows you to re-enter Yu Dao when you go back. You did an incredibly risky by not only insulting the Earthbending children of his colony, but also by attacking him as well. Did you not even_consider_ the ramifications of assaulting a colonial Mayor within his own city? Your friends are hard at work removing the colonies from the Earth Kingdom, and here you are running about stirring up trouble in those very colonies!"

"Technically," pointed out Toph with a raised finger, pushing her empty cup back towards Iroh with her other hand, "it was just _one_ colony."

"That's beside the point!" exclaimed Iroh, wildly throwing one arm in the air. "You could put the Harmony Restoration Movement in jeopardy because of your foolish actions in Yu Dao!" Toph bit her lip to keep from anything stupid, knowing that Iroh's anger towards her was entirely justified, which was why she was surprised when he tiredly sighed and admittedly said, "It can't be helped now, though. What's been done has been done; there is no changing the past. As your friend, I am willing to allow you to stay here until things in Yu Dao have quieted down enough for you to return and try to make amends with Mayor Morishita."

Even as Toph's porcelain face lit up with joy, Iroh smirked and said, "However, in that time, I will help to teach you the 'humility' that Morishita thinks you are lacking." Gesturing to the pile of dishes behind him, he chuckled as he said, "You can start by helping me clean all of these dishes from today's business."

Toph's forehead connected with the counter even before the last word came out of Iroh's mouth, groaning with dread at what she had gotten herself into for the next few months.

* * *

><p>AUTHOR'S NOTE:<p>

The idea that **Assassin's Creed Superfan **was that Zuko didn't go to Iroh for advice because Iroh has no experience in running the Fire Nation as the Fire Lord.

Remember my advice, my loyal readers:

_**BUY THE BOOK, AND SUPPORT THE WORK OF THE PEOPLE WHO STRIVE SO HARD TO BRING THIS INCREDIBLE STORY TO US**_


	21. The First to Fall

Oh dear God, what I have unleased this time? XD Yes, another super-long chapter for you all! Yippee! :D Alrighty, so since there's a lot to get through, I won't waste any time here! Enjoy and review! :)

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own "Avatar: The Last Airbender". The show and its characters belong to Mike and Bryan, the brilliant geniuses behind one of the greatest cartoon shows in the history of cartoons. Their work is legendary, and I salute them for it. I also do not own "The Promise" story, which is written by Gene Yang, and is also the property of Mike and Bryan. I am simply help to spread the news of the upcoming story and do not take any responsibilty for the development of the story itself; I am only going off of what is known thus far.

**The First to Fall**

A sharp, metallic rap on the door jarred Aang awake, forcing his eyes half-open as he groggily moaned. "Avatar Aang?" called a voice from outside the door.

"Yes?" Aang called back, trying to sit up from the bed only to find it impossible to get up. Looking over to his right, he smiled when he realized that Katara's arms were around his waist, her head resting on his shoulder and her eyes closed, a silent smile gracing her lips as she slept. From the sound of constant sleep-talking coming from the foot of the bed, Aang figured that Sokka had collapsed onto the floor in the middle of the night, leaving the couple to snuggle with one another.

"Captain Hemu requests the presence of you and your friends up on the main deck," informed the voice. "The coast of the Earth Kingdom has been spotted on the horizon; we should be nearing the Shou colony within a few hours." As the voice spoke, Katara began to stir next to Aang, leading the Avatar to lightly kiss her on the lips in order to aid her in the waking process.

"Thank you," said Aang in acknowledgment towards the door as Katara's eyes slowly began to crack open. "My friends and I will be up in a few minutes."

"As you wish, Avatar," respectfully said the voice. The sound of retreating footsteps filled the void left behind by the voice, indicating that there was no other information to be delivered.

"What's going on, sweetie?" sleepily mumbled Katara, softly nuzzling into Aang's neck.

"The Captain wants us up on deck," explained Aang, wrapping an arm around her waist and kissing her on the forehead. "We're getting close to the Earth Kingdom; we should be at the Shou colony in a few hours."

"Hmm, that's good…" muttered Katara, closing her eyes again and kissing Aang's neck, trying to cuddle as close to him as she could. "I love you, Aangie," she whispered against his skin, half-awake and half-asleep as she uttered her declaration of love.

Aang, ever the love-struck goofball, warmly smiled as he kissed Katara's temple, quietly whispering back, "I love you even more, my Little Koi Fish." His statement made the young Waterbender give off a small smile, one that prompted him to move down to her lips and kiss there, eliciting a pleasurable moan from Katara. After a few seconds, Aang cut off the kiss, smiling as he insistently said, "Come on, Katara. It's time to get up; we have work to do."

"I know," sighed Katara as she let go of Aang, opening her eyes as she sat up and stretched her tired muscles, broadly yawning as she prepared herself for the day. Aang wasn't far behind her, Airbending himself off of the bed and onto his feet, arching his back as he stretched his arms outward, yawning just as largely as his girlfriend. Seeing the crumpled mess that was her brother – who was cuddling with his beloved Boomerang - at the foot of the bed, Katara smirked and poked Sokka in the cheek as she said, "Wake up, you big lug."

With an overly obnoxious snort, Sokka jerked himself awake, opening his eyes as he incoherently grumbled, "Huhzup?" Slurping up a trail of drool from his chin, he somehow managed to sheathe Boomerang as he woozily mumbled, "What's going on?"

"We're almost to the Earth Kingdom," explained Katara as Sokka sat up, watching as her brother scratched at the small of his back. "Captain Hemu wants us up on deck."

"Sure thing," said Sokka rather readily, staving off his grogginess as he stood up and stretching much like his companions had. "Any idea of how we're going to get the colonials to leave?" the Water Tribe warrior asked as he finished stretching, looking over towards Aang for a response.

"I'm afraid not," admitted Aang with a shrug as Katara got up from the bed, moving over towards a dresser-drawer and taking out her water flask. As Katara put on the flask, Aang added, "We're just going to have to come up with something when we get there."

"Figured as much," grumpily grumbled Sokka, stretching down to touch his toes in an attempt to loosen his stiff back. "Is Appa still below deck where they used to store the trebuchets?" A day after their departure from the Fire Nation, Captain Hemu had offered to put Appa down below in the bay where the trebuchets used to be stored – the ship had been modified for peace time purposes, and also to allow more room for the colonials and their possessions. – in order to keep the Sky Bison out of the elements. Needless to say, Aang was immensely grateful for the Captain's offer and immediately took it.

"He should be," guessed Aang, adjusting the robes on his shoulder. "Momo should be with him too, since they're staying in the same place with each other."

"Once we're done talking to the Captain," said Katara, walking over towards Aang as Sokka finished stretching, "we should take Appa and fly ahead of the ship. Hopefully by the time the ship lands on shore, we'll have already convinced the colonials to leave." Aang nodded his agreement with Katara's plan, finding it very sound and logical.

"Then what are we waiting for?" asked Sokka, spreading his arms out. "Let's go!" he declared as he ran towards the door, throwing it open as he ran down the hall to his right. Their room was on the second floor of the ship's central tower, allowing the three heroes to stay close enough to the deck and the bridge that they could be at either in a moment's notice. Aang and Katara followed behind him, choosing to walk instead of run.

Within the span of a couple of minutes, Aang and Katara exited the tower and come out onto the deck, watching as Sokka ran up towards the bow where Hemu and a small group of soldiers were standing. As they approached Hemu, Aang said, "Good morning, Captain."

Hemu turned around, smiling as his eyes fell upon the young monk. "Good morning, Avatar Aang," he pleasantly greeted, the rising morning sun magnificently glinting off of his crimson-black armor. "I trust that you and your friends slept well?"

"Yes, we did," nodded Katara. "Thank you for asking," she added with a friendly smile.

"We heard that we're getting close to the Earth Kingdom," said Sokka, getting right down to business.

"Indeed we are, Master Sokka," confirmed Hemu, looking over the bow of the ship and pointing to the far horizon. The three heroes followed the Captain's finger, seeing a massive swath of land adorning the glistening sea as the blazing sun rose in the east, triumphantly heralding the dawn of a new era. Dropping his arm as he looked back towards his younger passengers, Hemu added, "We should land within a few hours, but I think it would be best if all of you flew ahead of us on your Sky Bison and try to convince Mayor Pianzi that he and the rest of the colonials should leave."

"That's what I had suggested before we came down here," pointed out Katara, eyebrows raised in surprise.

"Then you'll be pleased to know that I've already made the proper arrangements for your departure," proudly said Hemu. The Captain looked up towards the bridge and made a signal with his hand. The sudden, harsh screeching of metal-on-metal filled the air, causing everyone to look towards the middle of the deck as it opened, revealing a hidden elevator down to the innards of the vessel. In a few seconds, a familiar, furry sight came into view, which happily bellowed at the sight of his human friends.

"Appa!" joyfully cried out Aang, running towards his Animal Guide and throwing him against the Bison's face, hugging his beloved companion as the animal cheerfully grunted his greeting. "You sleep well, buddy?" the young Avatar asked as he dropped from Appa's face, petting the Bison's snout as he widely grinned. Appa's response was a full-body lick that knocked Aang onto his back, sending the boy into convulsive laughter as Katara chuckled and smiled at the sight as Momo alighted on her shoulder. Even to this day, the young Waterbender still found it incredible that even though Aang had grown up so much and accepted his duty as the Avatar, he could still be that goofy and lively oddball that she first fell in love with.

"Geez, Captain," amazedly said Sokka as he looked at Hemu, "are you sure you're not spying on us? It's like you know everything we're going to do before we even do it!"

Hemu deeply chuckled and said, "I can assure you, Master Sokka, that I am not spying on you and your friends. I've always had a knack for being prepared for both the expected and the unexpected; it's one of the major qualities that Fire Lord Zuko chose me for."

"Then I think Zuko chose well," admirably said Katara, amiably smiling at the Captain as Momo inquisitively cocked his head. Hemu appreciatively smiled and inclined his head, showing the Waterbender a small but still meaningful sign of respect.

"What are we waiting for?" cheerfully asked Aang as he stood up, drawing all eyes towards him. With a twist of his body and a moderate blast of air from his feet, he jumped on top of Appa's head, taking the reins in his hands as he exclaimed, "We've got a colony to get to!"

"You better look out, Shou colony," shouted Sokka as he and Katara ran over towards Appa, "'cause here comes Team Avatar!"

The Water Tribe siblings clambered up Appa's tail, jumping into the saddle and moving up towards the front so that they could be near Aang. Once the Avatar saw that his companions were aboard, he gave a crack of the reins as he jubilantly shouted, "Appa, yip yip!"

Appa raised his massive head towards the morning sun, loosing a mighty, booming bellow that reverberated endlessly to the far horizon and eliciting cheers from the Fire Navy sailors present. With a slap of his heavy tail against the deck, Appa thrust himself off of the deck, climbing over the heads of the Fire Navy sailors and over the bow of the ship until all that remained below was the vast sea. Appa climbed ever higher into the sky, leaving the ship far behind until it was merely a speck in the distance.

It was about an hour and a half or so until Team Avatar found itself nearing the coast of the Earth Kingdom. Along the way, the three heroes had discussed numerous ways of getting the colonials to leave, only to come up empty-handed. Their worries and anxieties were lessened ever so slightly when they saw the Shou colony, which was a small coastal town that was smaller than the current Southern Water Tribe.

Shou itself was round in shape, high walls encircling row upon row of buildings. Just outside the town was a small harbor, five docks with various fishing boats and trading vessels. Small farms surrounded the wall, stretching out about two thousand feet outside of the town. All in all, Shou wasn't very impressive, but it still seemed to be full of teeming life, as was evident by the people bustling about down below.

Team Avatar exchanged nervous glances with one another, knowing that the first true step of the Harmony Restoration Movement was about to take place, leaving them apprehensive and unsure of what would happen when they talked to Mayor Pianzi. With a collective nod of firm affirmation, Team Avatar fortified itself for what was to come. Aang slowly steered Appa down towards the main gate of the town, drawing many curious gazes and shouts of surprise from people down below.

Appa heavily landed on the ground about fifty feet from the main gate, startling the armored guards at the gate. As Aang, Katara, and Sokka jumped off of Appa, one of the guards shouted, "Halt! Who goes there?"

Sokka seemed a bit confused by the guard's demanding question. "Um…isn't it kind of _obvious?_" sarcastically asked Sokka as he and Katara walked over towards Aang. He gestured to Appa in a sweeping motion of his arms as he said, "How many magical ten-ton, six-legged Sky Bisons have you heard of?" Gesturing to Aang this time, he added, "And how many of _this_ guy have you heard of?" Tapping on Aang's head arrow, he said, "There's only one person in the whole world who looks like this, pal. You're looking at the _Avatar_."

Both of the guards gasped, the one who had asked the question breathlessly said, "Great Agni above…the _Avatar_ is here?"

Aang stepped forward, bowing the traditional Fire Nation fashion as he said, "I'm Avatar Aang. My friends and I have come here to talk to your Mayor about matters concerning the Shou colony."

"O-Of course, Avatar!" nervously stammered the other guard as Aang came out of his bow. "W-We would be _honored_ to escort y-you and your f-friends to Mayor Pianzi!" Stepping off to the side and gesturing to the gate, the guard fretfully added, "P-Please, A-Avatar, right this way!" The two guards pushed on the gate, pushing the heavy oaken doors inwards and revealing the innards of Shou.

"Too easy," Sokka smugly muttered into Aang's ear, giving his best bud a pat on the shoulder as Momo landed on top of his head, before following the guards.

As Appa lumbered past him and into the city, Aang apprehensively sighed, knowing that he was about to further his duty as the Avatar. There was still something that gnawed away at him, an uncertainty that accompanied being on the cusp of changing history. "Hey," he heard Katara softly say next to him, her fingers interlacing with his, "you okay?"

"Yeah," nodded Aang, his voice low and quiet from the weight of their current situation. "It's just…" He couldn't finish his thought, for his mind was swarming with billions of 'what if?' questions. So much was riding on what they were about to do today, and instead of feeling proud and confident, he felt scared and unsure of himself.

Katara understood what was troubling Aang, and she gave him a supportive smile as she lightly squeezed his hand and said, "Everything's going to be fine, Aang. If we can stop century-long war with the Fire Nation, then we can remove the colonies from the Earth Kingdom." Giving her boyfriend a chaste peck on the cheek, she lovingly smirked and added, "There's no need to doubt yourself, sweetie."

As Katara untwined her fingers from his, Aang looked over at her and affectionately smiled at her as he said, "You're right. No sense in worrying about something that hasn't happened yet, is there?"

"No," chuckled Katara, agreeably smiling at Aang, "there isn't." With Aang's confidence rebuilt, the two of them quickly entered the city, running to catch up with Sokka and Appa. Strangely, all the streets in the town seemed vacant, with not a soul in sight.

After about five minutes of walking, they heard what seemed to be the low murmuring of a large group of people, which almost seemed drowned out by a shrill, clear-cut voice that was saying, "Fear not, my fellow colonials! The Fire Lord may want us to abandon our homes and return to the Fire Nation, but I will not bow to his demands! Even if Fire Lord Zuko came down himself and threatened me with death by fire, I would not yield!"

As the crowd roared their approval, Team Avatar exchanged uneasy glances with one another. Even Shou, the youngest of all the colonies, was adamantly resisting the Harmony Restoration Movement. As the guards they were following rounded the corner, Team Avatar could see a sizable group of people gathered in an open courtyard, the crowd assembled in front of a raised podium, standing at which was a tall, black-haired, gaunt-looking man dressed in modest yet indicative crimson robes.

When the roar of the crowd died down, the gaunt man smashed his fist on the podium and shouted, "And I, Mayor Pianzi, shall make it my personal responsibility to ensure the security of the Shou colony from the threat of the Harmony Restoration Movement, Fire Lord Zuko, and-" Pianzi cut himself off as he looked off to his right, his dull amber eyes widening with shock and surprise as he spotted the sudden newcomers to his town. "The Avatar…" he muttered in a breathless, constricted whisper, the sheer weight of the second word forcing everyone to look behind them and gasp as they saw who their Mayor was looking at.

"Mayor Pianzi," said one of the guards, the same who had questioned the Gaang when they had landed, as he and his group stopped. He gestured behind him and said, "The Avatar wishes to speak with you, sir."

Pianzi's shock seemed to melt away in a seething cauldron of anger as he jabbed a finger in Aang's direction and exclaimed, "I gave you specific orders to _not_ allow the Avatar into the city!"

"I-If I may s-say something, sir?" cut in the second guard, the nervous one who stuttered constantly. "I d-don't think it w-would have been s-s-smart for u-us to refuse the Avatar a-access into the city. H-He _is_ the Avatar, s-sir."

One of Pianzi's bodyguards, who was standing next to the podium, looked up at the Mayor and said, "He does have a point, sir."

Pianzi glowered down at the bodyguard who had spoken, making the man flinch a little under the Mayor's sharp gaze. After a few moments, Pianzi sighed and stepped down off of the podium, walking through the parting crowd with his bodyguards behind him. "Very well, Avatar," relented Pianzi as he walked towards Aang and the others. "I will hear what you have to say."

"Except I don't think he'll like what you have to say," discreetly muttered Sokka into Aang's ear as Momo flew up onto Appa's back, making sure that Pianzi didn't hear them.

Within a few seconds, Pianzi and his bodyguards had stopped short of Aang and his group, the colonial citizens milling in the background as Aang respectfully bowed in the traditional Fire Nation fashion and said, "It's an honor to meet you, Mayor Pianzi."

"I wish I could say the same for you, Avatar," sneered Pianzi as Aang came out of his bow, not even seeming fazed by Aang's politeness. "We both know why you're here: you and your friends have come to enforce the Harmony Restoration Movement, and you've come to our colony to force us all back to the Fire Nation like a cowardly group of refugees." Brushing his robes off, the Mayor indifferently added, "Well, I'm afraid you've made this trip for nothing; the Shou colony will remain where it is, regardless of what the Fire Lord has to say about it."

"Please, Mayor Pianzi," pleaded Aang in a peaceful manner. "If the colonies aren't removed from the Earth Kingdom, then there won't be any peace between the nations."

"International relations with the Earth Kingdom are none of _our_ concern," snidely reasoned Pianzi. "What _is_ our concern is this patch of land that we've come to call our own. Even as young as the Shou colony is, it is still our home."

"We understand that, Mayor," assured Katara, stepping up to Aang's side, "but this is something that has to be done." Gesturing to the Avatar, she added, "Like Aang said, if the colonies stay here, there won't be any peace or balance between the nations. Fire Lord Zuko only has your best interests at heart, and that's why you have to come home to the Fire Nation, where it's safe."

"Safe?" incredulously scoffed Pianzi, his nostrils flaring in an affronted manner. "The Shou colony has always been safe, young lady." Contemptuously scowling at Katara, he scornfully added, "Perhaps you should keep that pretty little mouth of yours shut unless you know exactly what you're talking about, like all good children should."

Katara's entire face flushed with crimson anger and her eyebrows angled sharply downward, her front teeth biting down incredibly hard on her lip as her hands clenched into trembling fists in order to keep from snapping a bitter retort back at Pianzi.

"Hey!" shouted Sokka, jumping to his sister's aid. "You can't talk to my sister that way!"

"Why should I listen to you, Water Tribe savage?" challenged Pianzi, tensely narrowing his eyes at Sokka. "If your mother had raised you and your sister with proper manners-"

"Don't you _dare_ talk about our mother!" furiously screamed Katara, killing off Pianzi's sentence before it was finished. "You have no right to talk about her like that!"

Pianzi arrogantly smirked, apparently finding a critical weakness in his opponents. From the way the Water Tribe girl had snapped at him, he figured that her mother must have been killed off during the War. "Such a pity," he disappointedly tsked as he shook his head, "losing one's mother to death. Perhaps if she had been a better mother, she would still be alive to look after her children."

The Mayor's words were like red-hot slaps across Katara's face and ice-cold spikes in her heart, causing stinging tears to erupt in her cerulean eyes as she painfully grit her teeth in sheer rage. As much as she wanted to lash out at Pianzi for his cruel words, she knew she couldn't; the entire mission was at stake, and she couldn't ruin their chances of success just because the Mayor of the colony decided to be a heartless monster towards her beloved mother.

Aang, of course, noticed how upset Katara was getting the more Pianzi talked, but before he could do anything to comfort her, she let out a strangled sob and ran back the way they had come from. "Katara!" he called after her, though his cry seemed to fall on deaf ears, for Katara kept running until she disappeared around the corner. Knowing that she needed help in that moment, Aang quickly turned towards Sokka and said, "Sokka, keep talking with the Mayor, see if you can try to work something out. I'll go get Katara."

"Got it, Aang," firmly nodded Sokka, eliciting a grateful nod from the Airbender before he ran off towards where Katara had disappeared to. As Aang ran off, Sokka turned towards Pianzi and angrily said, "You better watch yourself, Mayor. You're on thin ice with me for upsetting my sister."

Pianzi merely smiled with satisfaction.

As Aang rounded the corner, he found Katara slumped against the wall, sitting on the ground and hugging her knees into her chest, sobbing into her legs. Crouching down by her and wrapping an arm around her shoulder, Aang softly said, "Please stop crying, Katara. Don't let what the Mayor said about your mother get to you."

Katara's sobs slowly died down to quiet weeping at Aang's comforting touch, her overflowing sapphire eyes just peeking over the edge of her knees as she brokenly said, "How could that nasty Mayor be so _heartless_? All those things he said about my mother…" Even now, Pianzi's words were strangling her heart, threatening to make it burst from sheer grief and sorrow.

"He was just saying those things to upset you," reasoned Aang, moving further down so that he was able to kneel next to her, pulling her into a tight embrace. "It doesn't matter what anyone says about your mother; even though I've only met her in spirit, I know that she's the bravest, most selfless, and most loving mother to have ever lived. She was willing to give up everything – her own life – so that her children would live on. Her courage and strength live on inside of you, Katara, and no one could ever take that away from you."

Aang's words seemed to strike chords deep in Katara's soul, for she grew more composed and controlled the more the Avatar spoke. Even after she had gotten closure from facing down her mother's killer, her mother was still an incredibly sensitive area in her heart that would always remain there to remind her of what happened on that fateful day; just the simple mention of her mother was enough to send painful racks of agony coursing through her young body, the threat of flowing tears ever present when that agony resurfaced.

Finding the will to smile again, Katara tenderly wiped away her tears with her fingers, as if each droplet contained a precious memory of her mother. Looking over at Aang, whose head resting on her shoulder, she gratefully pecked him on the lips and quietly whispered, "You're right, Aang; no matter what anyone says, my mother made me who I am today, even if she is gone."

Aang brightly smiled, knowing his words had a positive effect on Katara's demeanor. "Are you feeling better now?" he concernedly asked her, wanting to make sure his Forever Girl really was well again.

Katara chuckled, nuzzling underneath his chin as she lovingly said, "Yeah, and it's all thanks to you." Aang helped the two of them to their feet, though the Avatar was surprised when she suddenly threw herself at him, enveloping him in a massive embrace as she whispered into his ear, "I mean it, sweetie." Pecking just underneath his ear lobe, she softly added, "Thank you."

Aang likewise hugged Katara back, kissing her cheek and murmuring against her skin, "You're welcome, sweetie." They stood there for a few moments in their embrace, letting their unbreakable love and friendship for each other speak greater volumes in their hearts than words alone ever could.

Finally, the two of them came out of their embrace, Aang gently smiling at Katara as he said, "Come on; Sokka's gonna need all the help he can get dealing with the Mayor."

"But Pianzi's not going to give up the colony that easily," pointed out Katara, sniffling the last bit of her heartache away. Gesturing to Aang, she added, "You can't force your Avatar status on the Mayor; it's already clear that he doesn't respect you, so he's not going to listen if you order him to disband the colony."

Aang thoughtfully pondered Katara's words, trying to see if there was any way to discern a solution from the facts they had on hand. Sighing in defeat, Aang admittedly said, "All we can do is keep trying to convince him. The Mayor needs to agree to disband the colony by the time our ship gets here."

With heavy, uncertain hearts, Aang and Katara made their way back towards Sokka, who was loudly arguing with the Mayor. "Look," shouted Sokka, losing his patience, "can't you see that we're doing this to help you people out?"

Pianzi coldly scoffed, spitefully folding his arms in front of his chest as he angrily said, "From my point of view, it seems more like you and your _friends_ are doing this just to get revenge on the Fire Nation."

"This isn't about revenge!" strikingly protested Sokka. "This is about restoring peace and balance to the world and working with Fire Lord Zuko to bring harmony back between the nations!" Pointing an accusatory finger at Pianzi, he added, "Where did the idea of 'us getting revenge on the Fire Nation' come up in that blockheaded mind of yours?"

The Mayor's face contorted into a mask of rage, pulling a knife of his robes as he lowly growled, "Why you insolent Water Tribe _filth_-"

"Enough!" interjected Aang, coming in between Sokka and Pianzi even as the former brandished Boomerang and cocked it back in a ready stance. "Violence isn't going to solve anything! Put away your weapons!"

"Not until Mayor Blockhead over there drops his pointy dagger," retorted Sokka, waiting for the chance to throw Boomerang and bean Pianzi on the noggin.

"Please, Mayor Pianzi," respectfully said Katara, walking up to join Aang, "we're not here to fight. All we want is to talk to you."

Pianzi furiously scowled at the Waterbender, his lifeless amber eyes menacing and threatening in the glistening light of the morning sun. The air was thick with raw tension, the only sounds being made those of nervous breathing and fidgeting. Finally, Pianzi relented, disgracefully dropping his knife and making it clatter on the cobblestone beneath his feet. "I will hear what you have to say," bluntly said Pianzi, "but do not expect me to change my mind on the matter so quickly."

Aang let out a small sigh of relief as Sokka sheathed Boomerang, utterly glad that the situation hadn't exploded into unnecessary bloodshed; that was the _last_ thing he needed right now. "Mayor Pianzi," said Aang, taking on a calm and collected demeanor, "the removal of the Shou colony is the first step that needs to be taken towards a peaceful world. If the colonies aren't removed from the Earth Kingdom in a reasonable amount of time, there's a good chance that the colonies – including yours – could be in danger."

"Are you threatening us with the prospect of another war with the Earth Kingdom?" dangerously challenged Pianzi, sending out a palpable shockwave of astonishment and surprise throughout the assembled crowd. "You would wish for the Earth King's armies to descend on us like a flock of murderous Raven-Hawks?"

"No!" quickly retorted Aang, horrified by what Pianzi's interpretation of his statement. "That's not what I meant at all!"

"Then speak clearly, Avatar!" demanded someone from the crowd.

"Stop trying to trick us with your words!" cried another.

Even as the crowd began to get more fired up, Appa let out a bellowing roar, immediately quieting all cries of protest and anarchy. All eyes were on the great Sky Bison, who merely returned to grooming the fur that covered his arms. Once all was calm again, Aang turned back towards Pianzi and said, "Earth King Kuei would _never_ allow any of his troops to attack the colonies. What I mean to say is that there are still a lot of people in the Earth Kingdom – mostly veterans of the Hundred Year War – who would do anything to get revenge on the Fire Nation. If the colonies aren't removed, then a large group of rogue Earthbenders and soldiers might get together and try to remove the colonies themselves."

"Think about the children," added Katara, having seen several young ones intermingled with the crowd. "If rebel Earthbenders were to come here and destroy the Shou colony, what future would there be for your children?" Touching a hand to her necklace, she added, "No child deserves to lose their parents."

Pianzi's eyes drifted down to her necklace, a gleam of acknowledgment brightening his dull amber eyes. His hard, impersonal face softened, a blip of sorrow plastering itself to his visage. The Mayor looked down at the ground, contemplating both the Avatar and the Waterbender's words. He looked back towards the crowd, as if his own people could provide an answer for him. He glanced around at every child present, seeing them stand close by their respective parents and looking on at the scene with great uncertainty and fear. All of these people were like family to him, the very people he swore to protect the day he had been sworn in as the Mayor of his colony.

After several long moments of pondering, Pianzi heavily sighed as he looked back towards Aang, wearily saying, "Your friend is right, Avatar. This land may have been made ours through our hard work and determination, but even soil can erode and buildings can crumble away with the passage of time." Gesturing to the crowd in a sweeping motion, he added, "It is our children who will carry on our family legacies; it is our children who will provide us with a future."

"What are you saying, Mayor Pianzi?" asked one of Pianzi's bodyguards, seeming shocked by the colonial leader's sudden change in his position.

With a dignified, noble air, Pianzi turned towards the crowd and said, "In light of the Avatar's words, I have decided that perhaps…" The Mayor faltered briefly, wondering if he really was making the right decision. "…that perhaps our time here in the Earth Kingdom has come to an end. If we remain here, it is likely that we might be attacked by those who wish us gone from their native land. After all, we are the youngest out of all the colonies, therefore we are the weakest. Back in the Fire Nation, we can at least give our children a secure future, even if it's not the future we intended for them here in Shou. All those in favor of disbanding the Shou colony and returning to the Fire Nation, raise your hand."

A few hands went up immediately, though a majority of the crowd seemed extremely hesitant. Slowly but surely, more and more hands went up, raising up Team Avatar's hopes with them. After a few minutes, every hand was up in the air, though Aang could see that the townspeople's faces reflected their hearts: heavy with sadness and utter defeat. Aang couldn't help but feel sorry for them, but he knew that removing people from their native homes was the only way of restoring peace and harmony to the world.

"It's decided, then," announced Pianzi, turning back towards Aang as all hands went back down. "The Shou colony will disband at once, and we will all return to the Fire Nation."

Team Avatar could barely keep themselves from bursting out in estatic cheering, but they reigned in their jubilation and exhilaration just enough for them to broadly smile and respectfully bow in the traditional Fire Nation fashion as Aang said, "Thank you for your cooperation, Mayor Pianzi." As they came out of their collective bow and the crowd began to disperse – heading back to their home to pack their things - the Avatar added, "I know this wasn't an easy decision for you to make."

Pianzi retrieved his knife from the ground, concealing it back in his robes as he heavily said, "It certainly wasn't, Avatar, but you are indeed right; it was something that had to be done." Looking towards Katara, the Mayor added, "It seems that I owe you an apology, young lady. I know your mother must have been killed during the War, but it was disrespectful of me to dishonor her memory the way I did." Bowing to Katara, he said, "No child deserves to lose either parent to the horrors of war, and I apologize for having upset you the way I did."

Katara gratefully smiled at Pianzi, saying as the Mayor came out of his bow, "I appreciate your apology, Mayor Pianzi."

Nodding his regards to Katara, Pianzi looked towards Aang and asked, "Do you happen to have a mode of transportation to carry all of our belongings back to the Fire Nation?"

"As a matter of fact," cheerily quipped Aang, "we do. Fire Lord Zuko reserved a ship for the Harmony Restoration Movement just for us. Our ship is an Empire Class battleship, so it should be large enough to carry all of your personal belongings."

Pianzi's only response was a comprehensive hum. The Mayor's face softened, his voice low and implicit yet nonthreatening and discreet as he said, "For your sake, Avatar, I hope you realize what you're doing." Before Aang could respond, Pianzi walked off, most likely to go oversee the necessary preparations for the departure of the colonials.

As Team Avatar walked back towards Appa in order to fly back to the ship and tell Captain Hemu of their success, Aang couldn't help but feel troubled and disturbed by Pianzi's last statement to him. For the sake of his mission, his pushed his concerns towards the back of his mind, remembering his duty as the Avatar to restore harmony to the world and keep the four nations separate from one another.

* * *

><p>Once the ship had arrived in Shou, it was merely a matter of assisting the colonials with packing up their things and loading them onto the ship. The process took most of the day, for the sun was well on its way to setting by the time the ship pulled out of the harbor, bellowing smoke and churning like a great rumbling beast as it trudged its way back out to sea.<p>

Little did the occupants of the ship know, however, that as night fell around their vessel that something dangerous and cataclysmic lurked within the darkness, waiting for the right moment to strike…

_BOOM!_

_FWOOSH!_

Aang's eyes immediately snapped open as he, Katara, and Sokka were thrown from their bed, all of them being heaved against the wall as the entire ship seemed to lurch under a gargantuan force. They all scrambled to their feet only to be tossed to the other side of the room as an equally powerful force slammed from the opposite side of the ship.

As they crashed against the opposite wall of their room, untold tons of forged metal creaking and groaning under the pressure, Aang shouted, "What's going on?"

"Probably a storm!" shouted back Katara, righting herself on her feet as the ship mercifully leveled out.

"More like a monsoon!" cried Sokka, running towards the door and prying it open for his companions. "Come on!" he beckoned, motioning for them to go through the door. "We gotta see what's happening out there!"

Soon the three of them left their room and made their way towards the stairwell, occasionally bracing themselves as wave after wave relentlessly collided with the ship. They half-fell, half-ran down the stairwell, collapsing to the floor as they reached the first level of the ship's central tower. Throwing open the door to the deck, they could see the angry, undulating hands of the sea thrashing about on the deck, as if the ocean itself were trying to beat the ship down to the murky depths below.

"I got this!" shouted Katara, knowing that if she didn't stop the waves that they would eventually toss the ship over.

As Katara ran out onto the deck, both the pouring rain and torrential waves soaking her, Aang shouted, "Katara, wait!"

Before Aang could run after Katara, Sokka grabbed the Avatar's shoulder and yanked him back as he said, "She's got it, Aang! She's a Waterbender; she can handle herself!"

Knowing that Katara's mastery of Waterbending would allow her to deal with the threat of the ravaging waves, Aang stayed back and let his girlfriend deal with the wrath of her birth element in its most untamed form. Every time a wave would crest over the deck, Katara furiously slashed up at it, thrusting the wave back into the sea as she moved onto the next, her hands and arms an impossible blur as her fluid movements calmed and reigned in the chaotic waves, forcing them back underneath the ship and down into the vast, abysmal sea.

Even in the midst of the raging tempest around them, Aang could feel an imperceptible path of charged energy invisibly arc its way through the inky-black storm clouds, an ominous harbinger that traced its course from the roiling heavens above to the deck of the ship…

And to Katara.

Suddenly, Aang's every sense was alert, every fiber of his being snapping to focus on this one foreboding development. He had felt this energy before: precisely controlled and deadly, yet tactful with vicious intent. Why had he felt this energy before? It almost felt like-

His eyes snapped wide open with shockingly grim realization, for he knew _exactly_ what he was feeling. She was so far away, up near the bow, but he didn't care; he _had_ to reach her, no matter what. "_Katara!_" he screamed as his Airbending involuntarily projected his voice outward towards her, taking a few running steps out of the metal doorway before furiously thrusting himself forward on a desperate blast of air, hurtling towards her faster than a speeding arrow.

Even as Katara finally suppressed the waves around the ship and looked towards the sound of Aang's voice, a vermillion bolt violently burst out of the ominous thunderclouds, arcing towards her with all the swiftness of a falling dragon of doom. The Waterbender's breath hitched in her throat, her feet seeming frozen to the deck as she looked on at the lightning in terrified horror, much like she had during Sozin's Comet. Before she could even react, she saw a body fly in front of her, a blur illuminated by the ghastly bright arc of electricity.

Everything seemed to be in slow motion to Aang: as his body flew by Katara, he angled himself towards the lightning, extending the index and middle fingers of his right hand as he jabbed outward with his right arm, keeping his mirrored left in reserve. The lightning instantly fused with his fingers upon impact, sending an ear-splitting scream ripping out of his mouth as he felt his entire body become engulfed in ravenous electricity, sending him crashing to the deck nearly fifteen feet away. Tucking his right arm in, sending the energy down through his stomach, and twisting his body towards the bow of the ship, he lunged out with his left hand as he projected the bundled-up energy from his abdomen, blasting the lightning out of his body through his index and middle fingers as he sent the cold-blooded fire back into the frenzied storm above, sending a bone-chilling _BOOM_ resonating throughout the entire inky veil of the sky.

As the volatile voltage left his body, he felt a harsh arc of the wild energy ferociously ensnare his heart, sending him into sporadic spasms as an incredibly torturous scream tore itself out of his throat. Katara frightfully gasped, tears intermingling with the film of rain on her cheeks as she sprinted over towards the downed Avatar and frightfully exclaimed, "_Aang!_" Sokka, who had also seen Aang's redirection of the lightning, pounded his way down the deck, frantic to get to Aang's side. Roughly dropping herself down by Aang's side, coating her hands with rainwater as she did so, she grabbed hold of the convulsing Avatar, her voice cracking with terror as she said, "Aang, say something!"

Aang tried to respond, but the excruciating pain was so mind-numbing and overwhelming that all he could do was scream even harder as the animalistic arc of energy gripped his heart with icy claws of fire. Sokka seemed to materialize at that moment, hastily dropping down on Aang's opposite side as he shouted, "What's wrong with him?"

A ragged sob broke free of Katara's lips as she looked up at Sokka, keeping a firm hold of a thrashing Aang as she shouted back, "Some of the lightning went into his heart! I have to get the energy to dissolve right away or otherwise…otherwise…" She couldn't say those dreaded words, the words she knew in her heart were true but would never, for the life of her, _ever_ let escape her lips.

"He'll die…" summed up Sokka, his heart pounding so painfully that he could have sworn that _he_ had been hit by lightning himself. Without waiting for a response from Katara, he grabbed Aang's shoulders, forcing him to the deck as he shouted, "I got Aang! Just heal him!" Katara found herself still in shock, staring down at Aang with disbelieving and heart-broken eyes that continued to pour out as much liquid as the storm around them. "_Katara!_"

His call to Katara seemed to bring her back to reality, causing her to place her hands over Aang's chest and setting his liquid gloves aglow with healing chi as she managed to say, "You're going be okay, sweetie!" Stifling another rogue sob, she brokenly begged, "Please, Aang…you can't die on me. Not now…please, sweetie…please…not now..." Each and every scream that roared out of Aang's mouth stabbed further into her heart, as if his death cries were trying to reap any hope from her heart and suffocate it to the point of lifelessness.

Seeing how distraught his sister was, Sokka looked down at Aang and shouted, "You are _not_ dying on us, Aang! You are _not_ going to leave my sister like this! Do you hear me, pal? _You are not dying today!_" His shouts seemed to reach Aang's ears, forcing the stricken Avatar to smother his screams and open his tear-leaking eyes as he looked over at Sokka. "That's it, Aang!" cheered Sokka, finding himself smiling despite the tenseness and urgency of the situation. "Just focus on me! Just stay with us, got it?" Through his blinding pain, Aang managed a couple of nods, growling and gritting his teeth as he felt the deadly energy shred his entire being to pieces.

Katara found the intrusive energy violently lashing out in his heart, a crazed demon that sought to eviscerate everything that he was. Focusing all of her willpower and determination into her healing hands, she grappled with the energy, forcing it to dissipate into absolute nothingness as all of its power was spent. Laughing with relief as the last trace of unstable energy vanished, she joyfully cried out, "I did it!" However, as she looked up at Aang, she was shocked to see his eyelids slide shut, his head loosely slumping against the deck as his body went slack. In the blink of an eye, her joy and happiness mutated into grief and sorrow. "_No!_" she screamed, blasting her liquid-covered hands full of every ounce of her chi in a furious attempt to save Aang. "No no no no _no!_ I refuse to lose you, Aang! You can't die!"

Even as the water fell off of her fingers moments later, she had felt that her healing had no effect, leaving her and Sokka with the horribly impossible truth. "No…" breathed Sokka, the storm around them seeming to calm completely and slowly melt away, letting isolated rays of moonlight to penetrate the darkness above. "He…h-he can't be…not him…"

"Aang…" mournfully moaned Katara, her tears pouring down her face in an unstoppable torrent, not even seeming fazed by the passing of the storm above them. With grief eating away at every last fiber of her shattered heart, she hung her head down, closing her eyes and wretchedly sobbing her sorrow to whatever cruel Spirits were watching them. Sokka wasn't far behind her, holding his own head down and biting back his own mournful cries.

After a few moments, they heard the sound of a sudden intake of shuddering air, much like how one wakes up from a dream involving a sudden fall. The Water Tribe siblings looked up to see Aang's eyes snap open, his entire body spurring itself back to life. Even as Aang began to sit up and groan, Katara ecstatically cried out, "_Aang!_" With all the force she could muster, she tackled him in a humongous hug, sending them sprawling back onto the deck and crashing her lips against his as she passionately, fervently kissed him with the entire sea of love that dwelled in her heart. Finally realizing that he needed to breathe, she parted her lips from his, her eyes quivering with sheer joy and a smile so wide that not even the entire sky could hold it. "I thought you were gone, sweetie…" she whispered against him, her tears falling from her face and onto his cheeks.

"I…I think I was," softly replied Aang, still seeming very much out of it. "As soon as you got rid of the energy, I…I think my body shut down for a bit just to recover. I don't know how it happened, but…it just sort of did." He could have sworn he felt his spirit drift off, as if to spare his life energy from Katara's healing as she attempted to get rid of the lightning's energy. It was almost as if an invisible hand had swooped down at the most critical moment, grabbing his very essence to keep it from dissolving entirely along with the lightning's energy. Whatever the entity was, it had deposited him back into his body once the danger had passed, bringing life back to his body.

"I don't care what happened," tearfully said Katara with a wavering smile, pressing her lips against his once more in a completely heart-enveloping kiss. "All I care about is you being alive and safe in my arms; that's all that matters right now." As she sat up, she pulled him up with her. Once they were seated upright, she tightly embraced him, shakily saying through her sporadic sobs, "Don't _ever_ do that to me again, Aang. You scared me to death."

"I'm sorry, sweetie," quietly apologized Aang, kissing her head in an attempt to calm his Forever Girl.

"You better be sorry!" shouted Sokka, upset tears streaking down his hardened face. The couple looked over at Sokka as he continued to shout, "Do you have _any_ idea of how badly you freaked us out with that stupid stunt of yours?" Finding it nearly impossible to contain himself, he threw himself at the couple, embracing both of them as he said in a fractured voice, "Oh, who cares? We're all safe, and that's what matters." The original Team Avatar hugged each other for what seemed like an endless eternity, their invisible bonds of friendship calming all worries and fears from their racing minds.

After almost five minutes, the three of them came out of their embrace, staring at one another with leaky eyes and trembling smiles, the heavens above finally clearing completely and ushering in a return of the calm ocean sky. "I'm sorry, you guys," muttered Aang, wiping his tears with the back of his hand as he sniffled. "I should have known better than to rush in like that."

"Why are you apologizing?" laughed Katara, finding herself smiling as grateful tears coated her face. She threw arms around his neck, pulling him into another full-on kiss, nuzzling into his nose as she softly said, "What you did for me was incredibly brave. If you hadn't done it, well…I don't think I would be here right now." Kissing him again, she whispered, "Thank you, sweetie, for saving my life."

Aang smiled as he reached up to cup her face in his hands, his voice fracturing slightly as he said, "All I could think about was saving you, Katara. As soon as I realized you were in danger, I knew I had to do something." Resting his forehead against hers, he intimately whispered, "You're my entire life, Katara. If I lost you, there's no way I could go on."

"That's exactly how I feel about you," replied Katara, her cheeks deeply flushing as she lovingly smiled. "It's just…this is the second time I almost lost you to lightning." Painfully scrunching her eyes closed as more tears poured down her cheeks, she murmured, "It was even worse than Ba Sing Se, Aang. All that screaming, all that pain you were in, it…it just broke my heart to see you like that because of me."

"Katara," firmly said Aang, his voice forcing her quivering eyes open, "I will do _anything_ to make sure you're safe, even if it means that I'll be in pain." Chastely kissing her lips, he added, "Even if I was hit by all the lightning in the entire world, the pain from that would be nothing compared to what I would be going through if I lost you."

"I can't lose you, Aang," miserably insisted Katara, biting her lip to keep her ragged sobs from breaking free, salty tears stinging her cheeks. "Not again."

"And you won't lose me," assured Aang with a warm smile. "I promise." He pulled her face up to his, melding his lips with hers as he added all of his love and affection to his vow. She pulled him even tighter into her embrace, trying to get as close as possible to him after their traumatic scare.

Sokka merely smiled as he wiped away his tears, letting the couple recuperate and console each other. As much as the two of them made him nauseous with their sappy sweetness, even he couldn't keep them away after a horrible event like this. They needed their own time together, time he was more than willing to give them in order for the two of them to mend the other's heart. As the couple came out of their kiss, tenderly smiling at one another, Sokka smirked and lightly said, "Let's head back inside before something else tries to kill us."

"No kidding," chuckled Aang, letting go of Katara as he tried to stand to his feet, only to stumble slightly as he hissed and grimaced.

Katara instantly stood up and caught him as he fell, supporting his weight as she worriedly asked, "Are you sure you're alright? That was a nasty amount of lightning that hit you."

"Yeah," said Aang, though his voice did falter slightly as he winced, feeling a stabbing prick in the center of his chest. Painfully grunting as sweat coated his brow, he added, "I can make it back to our room on my own."

"Oh no, you don't," retorted Sokka, standing up and wrapping an arm around Aang's shoulder, helping Katara to hold up the Avatar's dead weight. "Don't try to act tough for us, Aang. No one can take a hit like that from lightning and walk away like nothing happened. Remember what happened to Zuko when he saved Katara from Azula's lightning during Sozin's Comet? He got totally fried!" They all knew of Zuko's bravery on the day of the Comet when he nearly sacrificed his own life to protect Katara from Azula's lightning; Aang and Sokka had been informed of that fact when they had all reunited after the final battle, and they had endlessly thank Zuko for saving Katara's life.

"But he managed to survive," pointed out Aang.

"Only because I was there to save him," Katara reminded him. "Sokka's right, Aang; you're badly hurt and you need our help, so don't try to push us off like you did after Ba Sing Se." Aang winced again, though more of the memory of the desolate state he had been in after that horrible battle.

"I wasn't trying to push you two away," insisted Aang, looking back and forth between the siblings. "It's just-"

"Just _nothing_, Aang," interrupted Sokka. "And don't say we need to focus on the colonials right now and make sure they're okay." Pointing a finger into Aang's chest, he added, "_You_ are our top priority right now, and there's nothing you can say or do that's going to get us to leave you alone."

Aang stared into Sokka's stern eyes, knowing that the Water Tribe warrior wasn't going to back down on his word. Not only were his friends extremely adamant, he himself felt too weak to even walk one step forward. Deciding to give in to their concern, Aang smiled, glancing back and forth between Sokka and Katara as he said, "I don't know what I did to deserve such great friends like the two of you."

"Well, we _did_ save the world together," chuckled Katara as she smiled, leaning over and pecking Aang on the cheek. "That's kind of a big thing that ties lifelong friends to each other."

"And we're about as tightly tied to you as we can get," added Sokka, smiling over at Aang, "so don't expect to get rid of us anytime soon."

"Trust me, Sokka," said Aang as the three of them walked forward, heading towards the ship's central tower, "I would never even _think_ of getting rid of the two of you." The three friends chuckled with one another, knowing that this near brush with death had only served to fortify their friendship even more.

As they neared the central tower, the door to the tower was thrown open, revealing a panicked Captain Hemu who asked, "Is everyone alright? I saw the lightning hit the deck and-" His eyes widened as he saw the limping Avatar who was being held up by the Water Tribe siblings. He had known that either Aang or Katara had been on deck, keeping the raging waves from overtaking the ship with their Waterbending, but he didn't know _who_ exactly had been on deck around the time of the lightning strike. "What happened to Avatar Aang?"

The three heroes stopped in front of Hemu as Katara said, "I was on deck fighting off the waves when a lightning bolt came down from the clouds. Aang must have sensed that it was going to hit me because he threw himself in front of me in order to redirect the lightning. He managed to save me, but now he's hurt pretty badly."

"How badly?" demanded Hemu.

"He can still walk," replied Katara, "but he's extremely weak from the toll that the lightning took on his heart. My brother and I are going to look after him and make sure he's back to normal when we reach the Fire Nation."

"But that's almost three days from now!" exclaimed Hemu. "The colonials still have to be looked after!"

"Then I guess that's your problem, Captain," shrugged Sokka. "If Aang doesn't get better, then the colonials won't matter. He's a big part of the Harmony Restoration Movement, probably even a bigger part than Fire Lord Zuko."

Hemu's jaw seemed to clench in irritation, but in the end he merely sighed and admittedly said, "You're right. The Avatar's wellbeing takes precedence above all else." Looking down at Aang, he said, "I hope your actions just now were worth it, Avatar Aang. You could have cost the world a great deal had you died today."

"What I did was completely worth it, Captain," firmly said Aang, his voice rock-hard and absolutely certain.

"Let us hope so, for your sake," gravelly said Captain Hemu, giving the three heroes a bow before going off to a deeper part of the central tower.

"He didn't sound too happy with what we had to say," observed Sokka, quirking an eyebrow in the direction that Hemu had walked off.

"Would you be?" questioned Katara, setting their small group back on their way as they entered the central tower, working their way through the metal halls towards their room. "I'm sure Aang getting hurt puts a huge damper on the whole mission, making things much harder for the Captain."

"How am I supposed to help it if your boyfriend decides to throw himself in front of a lightning bolt just to save you?" asked Sokka, nodding his head in indication towards Aang.

"I said I was sorry about that," sheepishly reiterated Aang as the three of them rounded a corner, coming to a stairwell that they began to climb.

With his free hand, Sokka slapped his forehead as he annoyedly growled, "Will you stop _apologizing_ already?" Returning his hand to supporting Aang – but not before leaving a throbbing red mark on his face that Aang and Katara struggled not to laugh at – they rounded the corner and began heading up to the second level as he kindly said, "Look, you don't have to apologize for what you did. You were protecting my sister because she was in danger; you were only doing what you thought was best at the time." Shrugging, he added, "Sure, what you thought was best nearly got ya killed, but it can't be helped now." Gratefully smiling down at Aang, he said, "Katara's safe because of you, and I can't thank you enough for saving her life."

"You know I'd do anything for Katara," said Aang as they came onto the second level, walking out into the corridor as they headed to their left.

"I know," nodded Sokka, "but…" He looked over at Katara, his sharp steel-like eyes heavy with countless, mixed emotions as he said, "If Katara had gotten zapped, I'd probably be as nuts as Azula right now. I would have been totally broken if my baby sister died today."

"Oh, Sokka," sweetly cooed Katara with a touched smile, "do you really mean it?"

"Of course I do, Katara," surely smiled Sokka, meaning every word that had come out of his mouth. "You're my sister, and I don't ever want to lose you." He felt a few unexpected tears sting at his eyes, and he softly chuckled as he wiped them away, finding irony in the fact that he was shedding tears. "Great, now I'm gonna start balling like a baby because of what I said." He jokingly poked Aang with a finger as he said, "I hope you're happy, Aang; your little stunt with the lightning is making me all gushy."

"I said I was sorry," chuckled Aang, mirthfully smiling at the overly-exasperated expression that sprouted on Sokka's face as soon as the words left his mouth. Katara was gleefully laughing at her brother's expression, her ringing laughter a sweet, pleasant, stunningly beautiful tone that echoed in his ears.

"_Stop apologizing!_" shrieked Sokka, his face so forcefully scrunched with frustration at the Avatar's insistent apologies that he ended up sending his two companions into spastic laughter.

After a few minutes, they finally found their way back to their room on the third level of the central tower. "I got this," said Sokka, letting go of Aang and allowing Katara to support his weight. The Water Tribe warrior pushed the door open after unlocking it, revealing their room, which was much like the room that Aang had been in when he was unconscious and recovering after Ba Sing Se. There was one bed in the middle of the room, which all three of them shared.

Sokka stepped aside as Aang and Katara entered the room, closing the door behind them as Katara gently said, "Okay, sweetie, let's get you onto the bed." Stopping at the foot of the bed, the two of them turned around, the Waterbender keeping a firm grip on the Avatar as they lowered themselves onto the bed. Aang groaned and cringed as he sat onto the bed, doubling over slightly as he grit his teeth, his entire chest feeling like it was ablaze with an agonizing inferno. "How bad does it hurt?" asked Katara, one hand on Aang's shoulder and another hand on his back, right above where his lightning scar was. She shivered as she felt the charred, scarred skin beneath his clothes, remembering that horribly dreadful day when he was killed before her eyes in the Catacombs of Ba Sing Se.

"Really bad," grunted Aang, one eye tightly shut closed as he found himself gasping for air, the pain now spreading down to his abdomen and flaring up every time he took a breath. "Like really, _really_ bad." Sokka stood guard by the door, leaning against the wall and crossing his arms in front of his chest as he watched Aang and Katara, keeping a constant vigilance over the two of them.

"Here," said Katara, reaching up with the hand that was on his back to his left shoulder, taking hold of his robe that was draped there and sliding it down his arm to his waist. Feeling his bare chest exposed to Katara, Aang broke out into a violent blush, his eyes flickering back and forth between her and Sokka. Noticing the fidgety motion of his eyes and crimson flush on his face, Katara teasingly smirked and said, "Relax, Aang. I've seen you bare-chested lots of times." As she looked Aang over, she could see that there was no scar on his abdomen like the one Zuko had after he was hit by Azula's lightning, or any new scars on his body for that matter; that seemed to suggest to her that enough of the lightning's energy had managed to escape Aang's body without physically damaging him on the surface. Giving him a sly wink, she added, "You're still as handsome as you were before." Aang affectionately smiled and volcanically blushed at her words, feeling vulnerable yet wary under her searching gaze.

Sokka rolled his eyes, sarcastically muttering to himself, "He gets hit by lightning and almost dies, yet they can still manage to give me the oogies. Figures." Looking back at the bed, he saw Katara lean Aang back, laying him to rest on the bed. Once Aang was settled, Katara reached over to her water flask, uncapping it and drawing out a stream of fluid with a smooth motion of her hand. Sheathing her hands in water, she rested her hands on Aang's chest, setting her hands aglow once more with healing power as Sokka asked, "How is he?"

"Give me a minute," replied Katara, trying to keep her focus on her work. Tracing her path through the chi lines in Aang's body, she tried to find any irregularities or abnormalities that would indicate damage from the lightning. Moving her hands over his heart, she found a crumpled mess of twisted and disparate energy that seemed to be slowly leaking down into his abdomen, right around his stomach. Pursing her lips slightly as she furrowed her brow in a tight knit, Katara said, "There's a lot of damaged energy inside of him, a lot of it leaking down towards his stomach. The imbalance it's creating is going to hurt him more and more the longer it's there, maybe even affect his bending."

"Can you get rid of it?" Aang managed to ask, looking over at her as he tried to control his breathing, keeping it as steady as he could for her.

"Can a Platypus-Bear lay eggs?" teasingly challenged Katara, looking over at Aang with a teasing smirk.

"Of course they can," chuckled Aang, not knowing if she was being serious or if she was just trying to get him to relax. Satisfied with his answer, Katara looked back down at his chest, deeply breathing through her mouth as the glow on her hands intensified, filling the room with a low, mystical hum and a bright cyan light.

Instantly, Aang felt a wave of relief seep through his body, soaking into muscle and bone alike as her energy melded with his, bringing order to the disarray that was his energy. There was something profoundly intimate about her energy touching his, about a part of her being tentatively becoming a part of him that made Aang's heart both race and flutter at the same time: a rush of energy that was both invigorating and soothing. The way her ethereal power touched his in a tender yet unrestrained way, almost as if they were fusing into one cohesive entity, was enough to make him blush even more violently as he closed his eyes and laid his head back against the bed with a sigh, breathlessly whispering, "I love you, Katara."

The Waterbender affectionately smiled as she untwisted the energy in Aang's heart, softly whispering back, "I love you too, Aang." She was feeling the same level of intimacy and closeness that he was, even if she didn't know that he was feeling the same thing as her. After Ba Sing Se, when she was healing him in his unconscious state, his energy had been almost mute and stale, without any life. During her healing sessions with him after he had awakened, she could always feel a little pinprick in her heart as her energy traveled his chi lines. Now the little pinprick was a shard of pleasure and tenderness that enveloped her whole body and made her smile with amazement as she explored his body through the invisible paths of chi in his body, searching and yearning to learn more about this boy than she could have ever imagined.

After nearly an hour and a half, the glow and hum of healing water died down. Katara bent the fluid back into her flask, capping it as she said, "I managed to loosen up a lot of the energy inside of you, though not enough to keep you from feeling a little bit of pain; that I can fix over the next few days." Reaching over and grasping Aang's hand, interlocking her fingers with her, she smiled and said, "I also got rid of enough damaged energy near your stomach so that your bending isn't in any danger of being affected."

"Thanks, Katara," murmured Aang, feeling very sleepy and drowsy from the healing session, though he did manage to throw a warm smile up towards his girlfriend. He lightly squeezed her hand as he quietly said, "You're the best."

"Only the best for you, Aangie," lovingly replied Katara, who chuckled at Aang's ensuing blush and ignored Sokka's annoyed groan. Suddenly, there were three loud raps at the door, wresting everyone's attention to the metal portal.

"I got it," said Sokka, moving in front of the door and opening it. Standing in the hallway was Captain Hemu, who was holding his helmet in his hands. "Captain Hemu? What are you doing here?"

"I came by to see how the Avatar is doing," explained Hemu, his fingers fiddling slightly with his metal helmet. With his helmet off, they could all see that Hemu's black hair was pulled back into the traditional top-knot. His amber eyes shone softly in the low light of the ship's interior, though they almost seemed to stand out on their own, like a bright candle in a dimly lit room. "How is he?"

"Aang's doing better than before," replied Sokka, keeping one hand on the door.

"Is he well enough for me to speak to him?" asked Hemu, seeming very hesitant to ask.

"Yeah," said Katara from inside the room, still holding Aang's hand. "Let him in, Sokka," she instructed her brother before turning her attention to Aang. Sokka sidestepped away from the door, allowing Hemu to walk in as Katara helped Aang to sit up, keeping one arm around his shoulder in order to support him. Aang flashed a grateful smile towards Katara, who gladly returned it, before looking towards Hemu, who crouched down in front of the bed, helmet still in hand.

Hemu was silent for a little while, staring down at the floor as he fiddled some more with his helmet, leaving Aang to wonder what was on the Captain's mind. Finally, Hemu looked up and said, "Avatar, I wish to apologize to you if my attitude towards you and your friends earlier was less than friendly."

"It's fine, Captain," began Aang, "but-"

"Please, Avatar," respectfully interrupted Hemu, holding up a hand. "I wish to speak my mind." Aang hesitated for a bit, but he nodded his approval to Hemu, who dropped his hand back down to his helmet. Taking a deep breath, Hemu said, "As you and your friends know, things are very tense for the Fire Nation right now. The last thing the Fire Nation needs is to have you die aboard one of our vessels. The other nations would instantly accuse us of murdering you, and the world would find itself in another bloody, drawn-out war."

Hemu continued to speak. "Imagine how this would sound to you if were the Earth King or one of the Water Chiefs: Avatar Aang, hero of the Hundred Year War, killed aboard a Harmony Restoration Movement ship when he was hit by lightning while fighting off massive waves during a storm at sea. Now, wouldn't you immediately come to the conclusion that the Fire Nation was to blame?"

"Maybe," truthfully shrugged Aang, "but anyone could be hit by lightning whenever they're out at sea."

"You're missing the point, Avatar," countered Hemu. "As I'm sure you're aware, some Firebenders are capable of generating lightning. Most of the time, it's usually members of the Royal Family that have this legendary skill, but there could also be the possibility that Firebenders of that level out there that we've never heard about before; none of my men can create lightning, by the way, but the other nations wouldn't know that. A storm at sea would be the perfect cover for someone to be murdered by lightning from a Firebender. The other nations may not know about the lightning capabilities of Firebending due to its rarity and exclusivity to the Royal Family, and their outrage at your death aboard a Fire Nation ship – one personally sponsored by Fire Lord Zuko, mind you – would be enough for them to declare war on us."

"But we would stop that," protested Katara, jumping into the conversation. "My brother and I would tell the other nations that it was just a really unfortunate accident."

"We won't reach the Fire Nation for three more days," countered Hemu. "Even when we get back to the Fire Nation and send word out to the other leaders, they may interpret our explanation of the Avatar's death as a nefarious cover up. Plus, they might assume that you and your brother's signatures on the letters could have been forged, and that the Fire Lord had you all killed off in order to cover up the evidence. The fact of the matter is this: if the Avatar was to die within the vicinity of anything related to the Fire Nation, we would instantly become the prime suspects, and the full fury of Water and Earth would come crashing onto our shores. Blood will be spilt once more, and it will all stem from your death, Avatar."

If Aang had felt weak before, he felt even worse now, as if a debilitating sickness were rapidly eating away at every fiber of his being. His heart was rapidly pounding into his chest, trepidation permeating every rational thought in his racing mind, his face contorted with shock and horror. Finally able to compose himself even a little, he dryly gulped down what tasted like bile and shakily said, "I…I didn't even think about that when I saved Katara from the lightning." He reached up to hold his forehead, his eyes as wide as the full moon as he weakly said, "I could have really messed up…" He found himself unable to speak, unable to even _think_ of what could have happened to the world had he died today. Katara pulled him closer to her, resting her head against his as she tried to lend her comfort and support to him.

Seeing how pained and disturbed Aang was, Hemu kindly, but firmly, said, "I am not saying these things to upset you, Avatar. I am merely explaining the colossal risk you took in protecting your friend from certain death. I want you to understand that almost everything hinges on you being alive, and we can't risk even the slightest possibility of you being killed during the reconstruction process."

"I do understand, Captain," assuredly said Aang, looking up at Hemu even though he felt like curling into a fetal position at the very prospect of another war breaking out because of his death, "and next time there's a storm, _all_ of us are going to stay inside the ship. We're going to take as few risks as we can from now on."

"Good," nodded Hemu, smiling broadly with relief, placing his helmet back on his head as he stood back up. "I'll see to it that you and your friends aren't disturbed until we reach the Fire Nation. Until then, my men and I will handle the colonials."

"We really appreciate that, Captain," gratefully said Katara, cheerfully smiling up at Hemu. "I don't want Aang moving anytime soon because he's still a bit weak, but he should be fine when we get back to the Fire Nation."

"Anything to help the Avatar and his friends," amiably said Hemu, bowing the traditional Fire Nation fashion to Aang and Katara. "I hope you feel well soon, Avatar Aang."

"Thank you, Captain," smiled Aang as Hemu came out of his bow. Looking over at Katara, he chuckled and said, "I've got the best healer in the world looking after me." Katara timidly blushed and glanced away from him, looking down at the floor as she softly smiled. Forgetting where he was at the moment, Aang leaned over and nuzzled into her cheek, eliciting a tiny giggle from the Waterbender.

Knowingly smirking at the sight of the couple, Hemu inquisitively asked, "I take it that you two are quite taken with one another?"

"Captain," said Sokka from over by the door, causing everyone to look over at him, "you have _no_ idea of how into each other those two are."

"Sokka!" exclaimed Katara, her copper skin now a ruddy red from her all-consuming blush. Her brother always, _always_ found new ways of embarrassing her to death, and this was just one of them.

"What?" defensively retorted Sokka. "It's true!"

Before the siblings could get into a full-blown argument with each other, Hemu said, "I best be on my way now. There's still much work to be done around the ship, and I'm afraid I can't spend any more time here." Bowing again to the three heroes, he said, "Good day to you all." After he bowed, he walked out of the door, which Sokka closed behind him and securely locked.

"You know," irritably said Katara as Sokka turned back around, "you didn't have to embarrass me in front of the Captain like that, Sokka."

"Don't blame me!" exclaimed Sokka as he pressed his hands against his chest. Extending an arm towards Aang, he added, "_He's_ the one who keeps giving out the oogies!"

"But Sokka-" Aang began to say, only to grimace and clutch at his midsection as he hissed, forcing one eye shut and slightly narrowing the other as he grit his teeth.

"Are you okay?" concernedly asked Katara, who had immediately turned towards Aang as soon as she heard his painful hiss. "Do you need another healing session?"

"No," quickly assured Aang, opening his eyes and glancing over towards Katara with a small smile. "I'm fine. I think I just need to rest for a while. Y'know, keep myself from moving too much."

"Good idea," agreed Katara with a nod, warmly smiling at her boyfriend. Looking over at her brother as Aang pulled his robe back up to its normal position, she asked, "Sokka, would you be willing to look after the colonials for a while? I know the Captain said he and his men can handle the colonials, but I think one of us should down there so that Team Avatar's presence can still be felt. It might help to put them more at ease. I need to stay here and keep an eye on Aang in case the pain gets any worse." Seeing Sokka's eyebrow suspiciously raise along with the incredulous look on his face, she added, "I'll be fine with him, Sokka. You know that."

"Yeah, yeah," said Sokka with a nonchalant wave of his hand, "I know. I'm just messin' with ya." Opening the door again, he glanced towards Aang and said, "Be sure to keep an eye on her, Aang. I'll be back later to check up on you two."

"She's safe with me, Sokka," promised Aang with a cheery smile, intertwining his fingers with Katara's and making her smile at his touch. "If I can save her from a lightning bolt, I'm sure I can watch her for just a little while." Satisfied, Sokka nodded and entered the hallway, closing the door behind him and leaving the couple alone in the room.

Katara tiredly sighed, thankful to finally be along with Aang, and looked towards the Avatar as she asked, "Are you sure you're alright, sweetie? If you need anything, I can-"

"Katara," interrupted Aang, taking both of her hands into his as he smiled, "all I need right now is for you to be here with me. When I look into your eyes, all the pain just fades away into nothing and I feel whole again. When I hold your hands in mine, nothing hurts and everything seems so right again, like it was meant to be. No matter what happens to me, your love will always find a way to heal me, and that's what I need most right now: your love."

The young Waterbender was sure that the skin on her face had just become the surface of the sun, that's how intense and fiery her reactive blush was. She wasn't sure if he was just covering up his pain for her sake, but she still managed to smile at his sweetness and sincerity. She thought about the chain of events that had led up to this point, which led her to say, "Aang, sometimes you amaze me with how much you really care about me. I mean, taking a lightning bolt for me? I mean, Zuko did the same for me during the Comet, but…it was different this time around when you saved me."

"That's because Zuko's just a friend to you," reasoned Aang, bringing her hands up to his lips and tenderly kissing them.

"I know," nodded Katara, "but…you would really be willing to lay down your life for me like that? I know that earlier you said that you'd do anything to make sure I'm safe, but I am really worth all of this? I'm just one girl, Aang; I'm just Katara." As grateful as she was for what Aang had done for her, it still left her to wonder why he would do such a thing for someone who seemed so small in the grand scheme of history.

Aang affectionately smiled at her, taking his hands out of hers and wrapping his arms around her waist, pulling her closer to him and resting his forehead against hers as he whispered, "Katara, you mean so much more than that to me. For so long, you've been the one person to always keep me going, to always give me hope for a brighter future. You know everything that I am: my hopes, my dreams, my fears and doubts, my strengths and weaknesses, _everything_. When I'm weak and powerless, you give me strength. When I feel like giving up, your smile tells me 'Keep going'. When the weight of the whole world is on my shoulders, a simple hug from you tells me that you'll bear the burden with me. You are so much more than just one girl to me, Katara. You are _everything_ to me."

Katara could have sworn that her birth element had suddenly shifted from Water to Fire, for her face felt as blazingly hot as the flames she had witnessed on the day of Sozin's Comet. Even after a whole month of her and Aang dating, even after all of those tender, sacred, romantic moments that she would always remember for the rest of her life, Aang's words were enough to make her smile so hard that the pressure caused tears to spring to her eyes. "Do you really mean it, Aang?" she asked with an air of hope as the tears graced her cheeks, her heart fluttering faster than a swarm of rainbow-colored Butterfly-Moths.

"Each and every single word, dear Moon Lily of my Heart," lovingly replied Aang as he used his most cherished nickname for her, his smile so intimate and amorous that it seemed completely natural to her, like the way his lips curved upward and his eyes sparkled with fondness and care was meant only for her. Kissing away her tears, he smiled against her cheek and softly whispered between kisses, "Each and every single word."

Katara found herself lightly gasping as Aang's lips caressed her cheeks, which flared in a violent blush every time he kissed her. Thankfully, Aang pulled away from her, leaving her breathless and brightly smiling as she sincerely said, "You really have grown up so much, Aang. I…I don't think I've ever seen this side of you." Reaching back and interlacing her fingers with his, she nuzzled into his nose as she asked, "And you know what?" Pulling away slightly and smiling, she added, "I really like it."

Much to her surprise, Aang pulled her down to the bed so that they were laying side-by-side, facing each other as a look of surprise enveloped Katara's face. Pulling Katara closer to him, helping her to wrap her arms around him, Aang chuckled and said, "What can I say? Death has a funny way of changing things for people, and I wanted to assure you that I'm okay, especially after how badly I scared you and Sokka."

"It wasn't very nice of you to do that, scaring us half-to-death," stated Katara, trying to pout at him out of spite but finding herself smiling instead. "You really had us worried."

"I know," insisted Aang, kissing her forehead, "and I'm sorry for that. But I was serious about what I had said: you will always mean the world to me, no matter what happens to us. Even if I die, even I'm reincarnated into my next life, my love for you will live on in the Spirit World, waiting for the day when we would be reunited and spend the rest of eternity together."

Katara gently smiled at Aang, nuzzling underneath his chin and resting her head on his chest as she whispered, "Aang, I can't even begin to tell you how lucky I am to have you in my life." Before Aang could reply, she thought of something that applied to their current situation, and she asked, "Have I ever told you that Penguins mate for life?"

Her question seemed to catch Aang off-guard, as was indicated by the questioning tone in his voice as he said, "No, but what does that have to do with us?"

Smiling as she cuddled ever closer to Aang, she softly replied, "Because I feel like you're the only guy I'd ever want to spend the rest of my life with." Lightly chuckling against his robes, she added, "In other words, you're my little Penguin."

Aang couldn't help but smile at Katara's words, kissing the top of her head as he said, "You're my little Penguin too, sweetie." The two soul mates, who made silent promises in their hearts to be the other's Penguin mate, soon fell off into a mutual sleep. They found themselves dreaming of a dozen possible futures, all of which involved them being together with each other for the rest of time, even beyond their own deaths and their own lifetimes.

* * *

><p>"Fire Lord Zuko," announced Colonel Shunjin as he stepped into the young ruler's office, "I have news for you."<p>

Zuko's attention was immediately captured, looking up from his desk as he asked, "What is it, Colonel?"

"One of our ships has been spotted on the horizon," explained Shunjin, "bearing west from the Earth Kingdom. We believe that it is the Avatar's ship; the banner of the Harmony Restoration Movement can be seen on the central tower by telescope."

The Fire Lord was up even before Shunjin had finished his statement, walking out of his office with the Colonel and four other Imperial Firebenders behind him, walking quickly through the Palace. Once Shunjin had finished his report, Zuko said, "Stay close to me. We don't stop until we reach the docks."

"As you command, Fire Lord," obediently said the Imperial Firebenders in unison, their presence formidable and intimidating to anyone who would try to get close to Zuko. Under normal conditions, the Imperial Firebenders – also known as the Royal Procession – would remain silent while they were on duty. However, this all changed when Zuko took the throne; he had declared a personal mandate that _all_ Imperial Firebenders were all allowed to speak while on duty, for it allowed a more personal and less informal interaction with the man they were charged with protecting.

About fifteen minutes later, the Fire Lord and his personal guard were nearing the harbor, where countless dock workers were scrambling and shouting orders to one another, frantically trying to prepare for the imminent arrival of the Harmony Restoration Movement ship. Even now, Zuko could spot the black plume of smoke rising on the far horizon, an ink stain on the light-blue veil of the cloudless sky.

Within twenty more minutes, the ship itself could be seen cresting over the curved horizon, eliciting a thunderous cheer from the assembled dock workers. A small, triumphant smile tugged at the young Fire Lord's lips; things were certainly looking up for a change.

After another fifteen minutes, the ship finally entered the harbor, slowing to a crawl as it pulled up next to the stone dock. With a wailing, skin-grating hiss, the metal behemoth stopped altogether, the pointed bow hissing just as loudly as it unsealed itself from the hull and dropped the pointed end down to the ground, creating a ramp for disembarking.

A large crowd of people began to surge out of the ship, seeming unsure and intimidated by their new surroundings. The only ones who didn't seem nervous were the people leading them, three people that Zuko smiled at when he spotted them: Aang, Katara, and Sokka.

Looking towards the crowd, knowing that they were colonials, Zuko boisterously proclaimed, "Welcome home, citizens of the Shou colony! It brings great joy to my heart to see you all here! Housing and food will be provided for you here in the Capital until we can find you homes elsewhere in the Fire Nation islands. Until then, try to enjoy your stay here in the Capital!"

As the workers, colonials, and crew of the ship began to unload the cargo from Shou, Zuko noticed Aang, Katara, and Sokka walking towards him. Broadly smiling, Zuko met them halfway and embraced them, the small group of heroes happily laughing with each other at the resounding success of their mission. Coming out of their group hug, Zuko cheerily exclaimed, "I can't believe it! You actually got the Shou colony to leave the Earth Kingdom?" Seeing their affirmative nods, Zuko pressingly asked, "How did you do it? How much did the colonials resist you?"

"Relax, Zuko," chuckled Sokka as he patted his excited friend's shoulder, "we'll tell you later. Let's just bask in how awesome today is!" Letting go of Zuko's shoulder, Sokka rubbed his stomach and licked his chomps as he hungrily said, "I could go for big feast right now! Who's with me?"

"You go ahead, Sokka," said Katara, gaining her brother's attention. "Aang and I have to tell Zuko something."

The silent insinuation seemed to carry over to Sokka, his eyes widening slightly in surprise but otherwise betraying nothing as the Water Tribe warrior nodded and walked past Zuko, heading towards the Palace. The Fire Lord seemed to pick up on something being amiss, considering the way Aang and Katara were nervously looking at each other, both of them seeming very hesitant to say the first word. "What's going on?" asked Zuko, feeling very uneasy and anxious in his heart.

As the bustling and hustling of the work around them increased, Aang had to raise his voice so that Zuko could hear him. "On the first night away from the Shou colony, we ran into a bad storm. It was really bad; the waves were going to swallow up the whole ship. Katara managed to fight the waves off, but…" The young Avatar's voice faltered, painfully recalling that horrible memory in his mind. Even now, he could feel the lightning tearing away at him, consuming every ounce of life within him and burning it to nothing but ashes. Katara's soft, tender fingers slipped into his, lightly squeezing his hand in reassurance and comforting support.

"But what?" demanded Zuko, his voice becoming slightly intense with a combination of nervousness and impatience. "What happened, Aang? Tell me!"

Seeing that Aang was having difficulty putting his thoughts into words, Katara spoke up for him: "A lightning bolt came down from the clouds and headed straight for me. Aang jumped in front of the lightning and caught it, redirecting it away from the ship but badly hurting him in the process."

Zuko's regal amber eyes widened as soon as the word 'lightning' left Katara's lips, looking down at Aang with a shocked and astonished expression. "Are you crazy, Aang?" harshly exclaimed Zuko in an admonishing tone. "Don't you remember what happened to me during the Comet when I took the lightning bolt that was meant for Katara?" he added with a gesture to said-Waterbender. "I nearly _died_ because I wasn't properly rooted when the lightning hit me! Aang, you know how dangerous improperly redirecting lightning can be! You could have _died_!"

"I know," tiredly sighed Aang, looking up at Zuko, "and I'm sorry for endangering myself, but Katara was in danger and I was the only one who could help her. What's done is done; Katara's healed me up, and from now on, we're going to be a lot safer."

"I should hope so," bluntly grunted Zuko, indignantly narrowing his eyes at Aang. Without another word, the Fire Lord walked off towards the ramp of the ship, the Imperial Firebenders close behind him as he went off to find Captain Hemu. Aang and Katara watched him the whole while with worried eyes, never taking their eyes off of him until he disappeared into the belly of the ship.

"I think Zuko's mad at me," observed Aang, though he really was stating the clearly obvious.

"We figured he would be," pointed out Katara, looking back towards Aang as he looked at her. "He'll be angry for a little while, but he'll come around."

"Let's hope so," glumly said Aang, leading her towards the ramp Zuko had gone up. "For now, let's get these peoples' belongings unloaded, and then we'll go find Sokka."

"Sounds like a plan, sweetie," admirably said Katara, leaning over to tenderly kiss Aang on the cheek, making him smile with uncontained love. Hand-in-hand, the young couple set off on their duty, determined to make a difference in the world.

* * *

><p><em>Dear Dad,<em>

_We just got back from our first mission to the colonies. Though we did have some trouble, we were able to get the Shou colony to leave the Earth Kingdom. Our ship is being resupplied now, so it'll be about midday tomorrow before we leave for the next colony. The Harmony Restoration Movement is finally underway…_

_I'm doing fine, and so is Sokka. Zuko, on the other hand, is pretty stressed out about his duties as the Fire Lord, but we're doing the best we can to get him to relax, even if it's just a little._

_And Aang…he did something really incredible on the way back from the Shou colony. We ran into a pretty nasty storm while at sea, and I was on deck fighting off the waves, keeping them from overtaking the ship. All of a sudden, I heard Aang scream my name, and next thing I saw was this lightning bolt falling from the sky._

_Heading straight for me._

_Before I could even blink, I saw Aang fly in front of me and catch the lightning (Firebending technique that allows the user to redirect lightning). He crashed to the deck and managed to redirect the lightning away from the ship, but he got really hurt in the process. He could hardly even walk, that's how bad he was hurt!_

_Aang's back on his feet now, though, and he's feeling a lot better, all thanks to those healing sessions I gave him after he was hit by the lightning._

_He saved my life, Dad, just like I saved his life after he was killed in Ba Sing Se. Even as I'm writing this letter, I can feel myself starting to cry. (Aang's with me right now as I'm writing this, and he's asking if I'm alright. I told him that I'm fine, but he keeps asking anyway, that loveable goof.)_

_Aang's been absolutely wonderful to me ever since we started dating, always making sure I'm happy and smiling each and every day. (Though he really doesn't even need to try that hard to get me to smile around him; I always smile whenever I see him.) He's so tender, loving, sweet, kind-hearted, and gentle to me that it's just making me fall harder in love with him every day. (Aang's blushing really hard right now, and the look on his face is so cute that I can't help but laugh.)_

_He also does lots of little things for me. Like one morning while we were on our way to Shou, I accidentally got a papaya for breakfast. (You know how much I hate papayas.) Aang gave me his breakfast of orange-mangoes and ate the papaya for me. (Aang says that he likes papayas because they're sweet, like me. I think he's just being a sap as usual, but I still love him for it.)_

_Anyways, I think I'm getting off-track. What I'm trying to tell you, Dad, is that I'm forever thankful to you for giving me the chance to fully be with Aang. (Aang says thank you as well, and he wants me to tell you that he's taking good care of your precious daughter. I think he's being a sap again, but I'm too busy writing and smiling at him to say anything.) He's been the absolute best to me, and I honestly don't think I could ever be this happy with any other guy in the world. Even before we were together, we shared this special bond, a friendship that couldn't be broken even by death. Aang's always been there for me, always made me happy like in the days before Mom died. No other guy in the world could ever do that to me, Dad._

_I hope things are going well back home. Tell Gran Gran and Pakku 'hi' from all of us. Once this whole business with the colonies is over, we'll all come home to visit you. I promise._

_Love, your little Waterbender,_

_Katara_

* * *

><p>AUTHOR'S NOTE:<p>

I am having a bit of writer's block with the next chapter, but I will try to write it up as soon as I can. Promise. :)

Remember my advice, my loyal readers:

_**BUY THE BOOK, AND SUPPORT THE WORK OF THE PEOPLE WHO STRIVE SO HARD TO BRING THIS INCREDIBLE STORY TO US**_


	22. An Unforgettable Gift

*Clasps hands together* Alrighty then (why do I feel like I'm channeling Jim Carrey? XD), it's time to get this show on the road again! I've got a super-awesome-totally-amazing surprise in store for you, and you'll SQUEE when you see what it is. ;D

OH! And a HUGE shout-out to my newest fan, **AirBenderBeauty**, for giving me a TON of wonderful ideas that I can use in future chapters. Unfortunately...I haven't had time to write them yet, and that kinda pushes back the chapter I _was_ going to publish next week. :/ No need to get discouraged, though! Her ideas are completely and totally amazing, and I want to put as much effort as I can into them! This story is still on-going, but update are going to be a mite slower from now on. :P Thanks again to **AirBenderBeauty** for all the ideas she gave me!

**Responses:**

**AvatarFan128:** I have indeed seen both new trailers for Korra over at KataangForever, which I am a member of. For those of you who don't know, "The Legend of Korra" is coming out APRIL 14TH! :D That's less than a MONTH from now, people! I'm _still_ freaking and spazzing out over the release date and everything that happened yesterday and just LKJADIFONALSNFV. There was such a huge spazzfest over at KataangForever yesterday when we found out about the release date, the trailers, and everything else. XD Oh yes, it was a very good day to be an Avatard. :3

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own "Avatar: The Last Airbender". The show and its characters belong to Mike and Bryan, the brilliant geniuses behind one of the greatest cartoon shows in the history of cartoons. Their work is legendary, and I salute them for it. I also do not own "The Promise" story, which is written by Gene Yang, and is also the property of Mike and Bryan. I am simply help to spread the news of the upcoming story and do not take any responsibilty for the development of the story itself; I am only going off of what is known thus far.

**An Unforgettable Gift**

_Winter 100 ASC_

"_Please_, Sokka?" begged Aang, walking backwards in order to face Sokka, who was walking forwards with an incredibly irritated and annoyed pout on his face. Yue's sleepy eye, half-open to the happenings and changings of the mortal world, hung magnificently in the star-littered sky, her soft beams of radiant moonlight lighting the way down the steep ravine Aang and Sokka were in.

"For the last time, Aang," growled Sokka for the umpteenth time, "the answer is _no_! We have way too much going on for you to take my sister out on a stupid date!"

Team Avatar was currently in the Jukaito colony, a city nestled deep in the mountains of the northern region of the Earth Kingdom's western coast. Their ship – renamed _The Harmony_ in honor of their success in Shou – had landed on the beach about eight hours before. The Mayor and citizens of Jukaito had already agreed to disband the colony and moved all of their belongings onto _The Harmony_. Right now, Aang and Sokka were going back to the city with a group of the ship's soldiers to see if anyone was still hiding out in the city; if there were, they were to be brought to _The Harmony_ immediately.

They could have flown back to the city on their return trip, but some of the ship's Firebenders – all of whom Sokka had trained to fly Appa – were using Appa to look around at the surrounding mountain range in case anyone was trying to escape from the colony itself and to make sure no one else was getting left behind. They were all under strict orders from Fire Lord Zuko that not even _one_ colonial was to remain in the Earth Kingdom.

In the months since the Summer, many things had happened: thirteen colonies – ranging in size from small to medium - had been disbanded; the colonials who had returned to the Fire Nation were given homes throughout the archipelago; trading routes between the Fire Nation and the Earth Kingdom were slowly but surely being established; the Southern Water Tribe was flourishing with goods imported from the Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom, and the Northern Water Tribe was enjoying a very beneficial trading relationship with the Fire Nation.

Not everything that occurred was good, however: in the Fall, around the time of Aang's thirteenth birthday, there had been another attempt on the Fire Lord's life while the rest of Team Avatar was away disbanding the Mintao colony. A rouge Yu Yan archer had managed to sneak into the Fire Lord's Palace, taking aim at him from the roof as the Fire Lord was relaxing in the Garden.

One of Zuko's Imperial Firebenders, a young man by the name of Lieshi, spotted the archer long before anyone else did. Acting on pure instinct and his rigorous training, Lieshi threw himself in front of the Fire Lord just as the archer fired. Lieshi was hit in the shoulder, the barbed steel tip of the arrow digging and ripping into the flesh beneath the armor. Even as Lieshi hit the ground, writhing and screaming in pain, Shunjin ordered half of the remaining Imperial Firebenders to rush the Fire Lord indoors while the other half chased down the thwarted assassin, who was eventually caught after a two-hour chase throughout the Capital City.

That assassination attempt left Zuko feeling extremely uneasy and excessively paranoid of further assassination attempts, even going as far as doubling the amount of Imperial Firebenders around him. It certainly didn't help that his friends were gone most of the time on colonial missions to help put his mind at ease. As a result, the Fire Lord's anxiety and apprehension grew with each passing day, possessing him like a malevolent spirit from the darkest pits of the Spirit World and driving him to the near-brink of crippling insanity. It took all of Mai's efforts to keep her boyfriend from snapping like his sister had, and her company had helped to temper the Fire Lord's fretfulness down to a somewhat manageable level.

"Come on, Sokka!" whined Aang, hopping onto an Air Scooter he conjured up as he continued to move backwards. "It's Katara's birthday, and I really want to do something special for her!"

"Like _what_?" questioned Sokka, giving the Avatar the stink eye.

"I can't tell you," replied Aang with a shake of his head, continuing to power himself backwards on his condensed ball of air. "It's something that's meant just for her. I can't explain what it is to anyone else, that's how complicated it is."

Sokka raggedly sighed, rubbing his tense forehead as he asked, "Does it have to do with Avatar stuff?"

"In a way, yeah," nodded Aang, agonizingly eager to just zoom out of there at moment and pick up Katara himself so that he could give her the birthday surprise he had in mind for her. "_Please,_ Sokka, I'm begging you. This is the first time I've been here for Katara's birthday, and I want to her to be able to remember her fifteenth birthday for the rest of her life." Aang gave Sokka a pleading, wide-eyed, lip-quivering stare that would melt anyone's heart down to the core and give in to his request.

Thankfully for Aang, it worked. "Fine," Sokka relented, dropping his arm back to his side, "you can go get Katara-"

"ThanksSokkayou'rethebest!" Aang quickly exclaimed in one blurted sentence before hastily zooming past Sokka and the soldiers, knocking the Water Tribe warrior onto his bum from the unexpected burst of wind from Aang's Air Scooter.

"Your sister must mean a lot to the Avatar," observed one of the soldiers as the group stopped and waited for Sokka to get back on his feet, the young warrior angrily grumbling to himself and rubbing his tender rear-end the whole time.

"I'm not even going to dignify that with a response," annoyedly said Sokka, continuing on his way with the soldiers close behind him. "Those two are gonna drive me crazy one day," he dryly grumbled to himself, sulking as he plodded down the ravine path. "I just know it."

Aang sped through the twisting and winding mountain paths with such blinding speed that he managed to travel almost five miles in the span of thirty seconds, dust billowing in a massive cloud behind him as he raced towards _The Harmony_, where he knew for sure Katara would be waiting.

Down by the shore, Katara was letting the power of the moon flow through her body, curling her water stream around her body before sending it back into the heaving waves and exhaling all of her energy out of her being. The colonials were all settled on the ship, and now all that was left was for Aang and Sokka to return from Jukaito itself. Hearing an almost imperceptible sound grace her ears – like the sound of a distant gust of wind - she turned back towards the mountains, her eyes widening in surprise as she saw a plume of dust slithering along the very peaks of the cliffs, heading straight towards the beach.

"What in the…?" she mumbled to herself, narrowing her eyes as she tried to make sense of what she was seeing.

Before she was even aware of what was happening, the plume of dust erupted out of the mountains, aiming straight for her with all the intensity and focus of a sentient creature. Katara could hardly register her astonishment as a blurred figure burst out of the dust cloud, swooping around towards her and sweeping her off her feet as it carried her off towards the mountains. She could feel that someone was carrying her, and she had an idea of who it was.

Looking up, Katara found herself face-to-face with a broadly grinning Aang. "Hiya, sweetie!" the Avatar genially exclaimed, zooming back onto the mountain path with his Air Scooter. "How's it going?"

"What are you _doing_, Aang?" mirthfully laughed Katara, wrapping her arms around his neck to keep from falling off the Air Scooter, though she knew Aang would never let her fall.

"I'll tell you when we get there!" the young Airbender quipped in a chirpy reply, suddenly and sharply turning towards one of the cliff faces and speeding his way up to the peak.

"Get _where_?" shouted Katara over the rushing of the wind, tightly squeezing Aang's strong neck for support as they crested the peak and began descending down the jagged cliff.

"Take a look for yourself!" was Aang's reply, nodding outward with his chin as he used his legs to control his Air Scooter. Katara looked in the direction Aang had indicated; what she saw was a large, circular lake nested in a low valley, the still water glistening ever so tranquilly and calmly in the luminescent radiance of the Moon Spirit high above.

Aang brought his Air Scooter to a slow halt at the shore of the lake, letting the ball of air dissipate from underneath his feet, smoothly landing on his feet and lightly letting Katara down out of his grasp. Gesturing out to the lake, Aang said, "I saw this place when we were flying to Jukaito earlier today." Looking back towards her, he gently took his hands in hers, warmly smiling as she looked over at him. "I thought it would be the perfect place for the two of us to celebrate your birthday," he explained with a shy and sheepish smile, loving the way her ensuing blush and amatory smile seemed so much more wondrous and amazing in the brilliance of the moonlight.

"Aang," she softly said, the cool and crisp winter air fluttering her billowing hair, "I don't need much for my birthday. I don't want presents, because, really," – she shrugged at this point – "the best gift I've ever gotten in my life is the person standing right in front of me…you." She sincerely smiled at her boyfriend with overwhelming love, making his face soften in a way that he indicated he was truly touched by her words.

"I know," quietly replied Aang, helping both of them down to the ground until they were in a sitting position, hands still joined, "but this is the first birthday of yours that I've spent with you since I met you over a year ago. I've said it a hundred times before, but you're my entire world, and today is meant for _you_, no matter what you say. I'm going to make sure that this is the best birthday you've ever had."

Katara couldn't help but chuckle, knowing how adamant her Aang could be when it came to her. "Alright," she conceded with an exhaled sigh, brightly smiling at Aang. "Surprise me, sweetie."

"With pleasure, sweetie," lovingly replied Aang. "Close your eyes," he instructed her, and she did as he said. Aang shut his own eyes, delving deep within the endless crevices of his soul and finding his spiritual energy. Having unlocked his own energy, he reached over into Katara's body, gently prodding at her own spirit in an attempt to connect with her. They had often done this activity over the past month, connecting their spirits to one another as a means to feel much closer to each other and to be intimate in a way that was unique to the both of them. Sure enough, she offered little resistance to his repeated contacts, allowing him access to everything that she was.

This time around, however, he was going to do something different.

_When Aang opened his eyes, he found himself in an entirely new place. Swiveling his head around, he could see that they were in a peaceful, verdant meadow, a violet-crimson sky shimmering high above them as cherry blossoms gracefully floating around them, drifting on an endless ethereal wind. Looking back in front of him, Aang could see that Katara was indeed with him, and he smiled at his triumphant success. "Open your eyes," he told her, lightly squeezing her fingers as an extra stimulus._

_Katara opened her eyes, which seemed to sparkle with glee and amazement as an open-mouth smile appeared on her youthful face, breathlessly looking on at the mesmerizing splendor around them. "Oh, Aang," she happily cooed, looking down at him, "this so beautiful! Wait…are we in the Spirit World?"_

_"Yeah," nodded Aang, helping both of them to their feet. "About a month ago, I asked Avatar Kuruk if it was possible for anyone from the human world other than the Avatar to travel to the Spirit World. He said it was possible, and he taught me how to connect my spirit to anyone I choose; once the connection is made, and I'm in physical contact with that person, I can bring them to the Spirit World with me."_

_"Ah," said Katara in realization, "so _that's_ why we've been connecting our spirits so often. You've been getting me ready for this trip."_

_"Exactly," nodded Aang. With a coy smirk, he added, "Plus, I wanted to feel a lot closer to than we already were, so…" His cheeks flushed as deeply as the crimson above them, eliciting an amused chuckle from Katara._

_"You're so sweet to want to do that," affectionately praised Katara, taking her hands out of his and cupping his face between her fingers, drawing him in for a long, love-filled kiss. Aang was more than happy to return it, letting his devotion for the Waterbender pour out from his heart and into his lips. After a few seconds, Katara cut off the kiss, dropping her hands from his cheeks as they smiled at one another with nothing but the purest of sentimental love. "But why did you bring me here?" she curiously asked him, wondering his true intentions. "I mean, the Spirit World is absolutely wonderful, but-"_

_Aang pressed a finger to her lips, silencing her inquiry and leaving her to inquisitively cock an eyebrow at him. She couldn't read the myriad of emotions adorning his visage, as if he were trying to make himself unreadable until the right moment, but his signature smile made her heart feel at ease and intrigued at the same time. Taking his finger from her lips, he gestured off to his left with a sweeping motion of his other hand and endearingly said, "Happy birthday, Katara."_

_With a confused expression plastered onto her face, Katara looked off to her right, following Aang's gesture…_

_And her entire world screeched to an absolute halt._

_Her heart skipped at least a dozen frantic beats, her face slowly contorting from befuddlement and mystification to all-consuming shock and total disbelief as her jaw gradually unhinged itself, dropping her lower lip down in a breathless gasp as she clasped both hands to her mouth to keep from either screaming her head off or crying out with choked emotions. She didn't realize it at the time, but she sunk down to her knees, resting on her calves as she continued to cover her mouth, her eyes wide with astonishment and her eyebrows raised to their full height. Uncertainly uncovering her mouth, Katara curled up her fingers against her chin, meekly uttering just one word, the only word her mind was able to comprehend at the time…_

_"_Mom_?"_

_Standing there, just ten feet away from them, was none other than Kya herself, looking the same as she had the day she died. The falling cherry blossoms made her presence seem almost surreal, intangible, but she was most certainly real, for her loving smile was the same that Katara remembered from the days of her cherished childhood. The Water Tribe woman tearfully smiled down at her stunned daughter, her voice mellow and melodious as she elatedly said, "Hello, Katara."_

_Just the familiar sound of her beloved mother's voice brought hot, stinging tears to Katara's eyes, her face morphing into an exuberant and estatic smile as she jumped to her feet, running towards Kya as she joyfully cried out, "Mom!" Kya held out her arms, catching her daughter as she threw herself forward in a flying hug, burying her face into her mother's parka and crying with all the over-pouring joy that rapidly cascaded out of her heart._

_Kya rested her chin on top of her daughter's head, tears streaming down her smooth cheeks and hugging her baby girl tightly, kissing her on the head as she chokingly said, "I've missed you so much, my precious Katara."_

_"I've missed you too, Momma," brokenly choked Katara as her face became veiled with endless tears, feeling like a little girl again now that she was enveloped in her mother's arms, safe from all dangers and worries that the world sought to press upon her. All she knew was her mother's embrace; all she knew was her mother's love, and that's all she needed at this sacred moment._

_Aang could feel his vision blur slightly from tears as he looked on at the heart-warming sight, but even his own happy tears couldn't distort one of the greatest days of his Forever Girl's life. Smiling as he wiped away his tears, Aang walked over towards Kya and Katara, the latter of which was sobbing uncontrollably out of sheer, uncontrolled, turbulent emotion._

_As Aang stopped next to them, Kya brought herself and Katara out of their embrace, gingerly holding her daughter's face in her hands as she quietly sighed, affectionately stroking Katara's cheeks with her thumbs as she softly said, "You've grown up so much, my little Waterbender, and I'm so very proud of the strong young woman you've become." Katara smiled at her mother's words as she sniffled, tears still coating her cheeks like morning dew. Looking over at Aang, Kya gratefully added, "Thank you so much for bringing my daughter back to me, Aang."_

_"It was my pleasure, Kya," sincerely said Aang with a genuine smile as Kya dropped her hands from Katara's face._

_Katara gasped as she looked over at Aang, breathlessly saying, "You mean you…" All the pieces snapped into place within the confines of Katara's mind, her eyes growing ever wider as she came to her realization. "You mean _this_" – she gestured to her mother – "is my birthday present?"_

_"What better way to celebrate your birthday than to reunite you with the very person who gave birth to you?" sagely asked Aang, widely grinning at his girlfriend. Before he could even comprehend what was happening, Katara tackled him to the ground, passionately kissing him with all her might and leaving him utterly winded underneath her._

_Between kisses, Katara joyfully exclaimed, "You are the kindest," – kiss – "most thoughtful," – kiss – "completely wonderful boy that I've ever met in my entire life!" She crashed her lips against his once more, cutting any sort of reply he was going to give her, showing her full-fledged appreciation of his marvelous gift to her._

_"I think Aang may need to breathe sometime soon, sweetheart," chuckled Kya from off to the side, smirking down at the kissing couple on the ground._

_Upon hearing her mother's words, Katara parted her lips from Aang's, leaving the Avatar to pant and feebly try to regain his breath. "Sorry, Aang," embarrassedly apologized Katara, fiercely blushing as she lay on top of him. Aang merely smiled and said nothing in return, giving her an acknowledging nod to indicate that he accepted her apology. "Seriously, sweetie," warmly said Katara, pecking him on the lips, "thank you so much for this. To be able to actually see my Mom again, to actually talk to her again…it's something I've always dreamed of but never thought was really possible."_

_"Anything's possible, Katara," reasoned Aang. "Just look at us: a lot of people might say we shouldn't be together because of our ages and our cultures, but none of that matters to me. Because of our love for each other, it was possible for us to find a way for us to be together. I love you for everything you are, sweetie, and I wanted your fifteenth birthday to be incredibly special to you."_

_"You certainly succeeded in that goal," chuckled Katara with an amiable smile, fusing her lips with his for yet another time, losing themselves to their vast love for each other and isolating themselves from the otherworldly void around them._

_"I'm still here, you know," interrupted Kya, though she didn't seem annoyed by the couple ignoring her._

_Realizing that they were still in Kya's presence, Aang and Katara unlocked lips, both of them rising to their feet and looking at Kya with blushing smiles. "Sorry, Mom," said Katara, wiping away the leftover tears from her face. "I just wanted to show Aang how thankful I was for his birthday gift to me."_

_"There's no need to apologize, Katara," assured Kya, walking over to the couple and taking Katara's hands in hers. "I've always wanted the best for you, sweetie," said Kya, "and I can say without a doubt Aang is one of the greatest blessings in your life right now." Looking over at Aang, Katara followed Kya's gaze as her mother added, "He's such a kind-hearted, sweet, and sincere young man full of peppy optimism and great inner strength, as well as endless love for those he holds close to his heart." Aang's cheeks grew even hotter at Kya's praise of him, though his smile showed that he appreciated her opinion of him._

_"I know why you did what you did the day you died, Mom," said Katara, directing her statement towards her mother. Kya looked over at Katara as her daughter said, "You were protecting me from Yon Rha by telling him you were the last Waterbender in the South Pole when it was really me he was looking for."_

_A sorrowful, mournful expression came across Kya's face as she sullenly sighed and solemnly said, "I was willing to give up myself for my family, even if it meant losing my life in the process."_

_"Do you regret doing what you did?" asked Katara before she could suppress the question._

_"Never," was Kya's quick and firm response. "As a mother, it was my duty to protect my children from any sort of danger." Her stern expression softened as she let go of Katara's hands and cupped her daughter's face again, guilt flooding her soothing voice as she said, "But if I was to regret one thing, it would be that I couldn't be there for my children after I died. My little girl grew up in a harsh and unforgiving world without her mother to guide her; that is one of the things that has haunted me ever since the day I died."_

_Blinding tears erupted in Katara's eyes, trying to keep herself composed as she drew in a shaky breath and said, "Mom, I appreciate the sacrifice you made to protect me; I really do, but…" Tears flooded down her cheeks again as her voice shattered, barely managing to get out, "We were just so lost without you, Mom. Everything was just so horrible and awful after you died, and then Dad and the men of our tribe went off to fight in the War four years later…it was so much for Sokka and I to take in in just a short amount of time." Katara painfully closed her eyes, biting her lips as her shoulders convulsively shuddered in an attempt to keep from openly weeping, though stifled sobs did manage to sound in her throat and burst out of her quivering mouth._

_"I'm so sorry things turned out the way they did, Katara," shamefully said Kya, her heart racking with unbelievable pain at the sight of her distraught daughter, "but the past is the past. You can't change it, no matter how much it hurts. Even getting revenge on Yon Rha for my death wouldn't have brought you peace."_

_Katara's eyes snapped open at that statement, looking up at her mother with a surprised expression on her face. "You knew about that?"_

_"Yes," nodded Kya. "Your heart was so very dark during that time, and you were determined to kill Yon Rha for destroying whatever happiness you felt with me when I was alive."_

_"But I didn't kill him," pointed out Katara, briefly glancing over at Aang. "I let him live. I won't ever forgive him for what he did, but I learned from Aang that violence and hatred wasn't the answer. I had to let go of that anger, or else I would have actually done it."_

_"You don't know that," chided Kya. "You have so much strength inside of you, Katara, more strength than I ever had in my life." Gently smiling, Kya added, "I don't hate you for what you almost did to Yon Rha, sweetie. The only thing that matters is that you had the courage to let go of that hatred and move on with your life, even if the pain of my death is still in your heart."_

_Even with her mother right in front of her, Katara knew that things never could be what they once were before she died. Her mother was a spirit now, unable to ever live again in the mortal world. With that despairing thought in mind, Katara threw herself at her mother again in an enveloping embrace, burying her face in Kya's chest as her dam of sadness and agony burst wide open, raggedly sobbing into the furry material of Kya's parka. Kya merely hugged her daughter back, rubbing her back in a comforting manner and smoothly running her fingers through Katara's hair, just as she did when her daughter was a young girl._

_"I don't want you to go, Momma," pleaded Katara, sounding more like a fearful child whose mother was going to the market rather than a daughter who never wanted her reunion with her deceased mother to end, knowing she might not ever get this opportunity again. "I don't want to lose you again."_

_"And you won't, my precious Waterbender," lovingly said Kya as she held her daughter at arm's length, taking one hand and wiping away Katara's tears, "not as long as you keep me here" – she touched Katara's necklace – "and here" – she touched the center of Katara's chest, right where her heart was. "As long as you do that, your love for me will never die." Tightly embracing Katara once more, Kya affectionately whispered, "I love you so much, Katara. I have never stopped loving you."_

_"I love you too, Mom," murmured Katara into Kya's chest, vocalizing the phrase she had been yearning for years to say. "I love you so much…"_

_Aang watched Katara and Kya for what seemed to be a lifetime, knowing that neither one wanted to be the first to say good-bye. Even more than that, Aang didn't want to be the one to break them apart after such an emotional, heart-and-soul-touching reunion._

_Mercifully for Aang, Kya was the first to speak up. "I think you and Aang should leave, Katara," she said with an incredible heaviness that reflected the conflict that ravaged her from within. "I have to go now." What Kya didn't tell Katara was that her unfinished business was complete, and now her spirit would be at peace for the rest of time. She would travel to the realm beyond the Spirit World, the void in which not even the Avatar would roam, cutting her off from all contact except with the spirits of the dead who were completely at peace._

_"I know," sniffled Katara, detaching from her mother and wiping away her tears as she walked over towards Aang, who delicately took her hand in his in order to support her. Looking back at her mother with a pained expression, Katara said, "Good-bye, Mom." Managing a small smile, the torn Waterbender added, "I'm really glad that I was able to talk to you again after so long."_

_"As am I, Katara," chuckled Kya in agreement. Glancing towards Aang, she added, "Now Aang, you take care of my baby girl, or else you'll be hearing from _me _from beyond the void."_

_"She's safe with me, Kya," promised Aang, leaning over and pecking Katara's cheek as proof of his declaration. Looking back at Kya, he added, "I'll take good care of your daughter."_

_Nodding and smiling with satisfaction, Kya looked back at Katara, longing love shining bright in her cerulean eyes as the floating cherry blossom petals began to drift towards her, framing her being like the border of a painting. "And Katara?" she called out just as the blossoms began to spiral upward from her feet, curling around her body and replacing the blue of her park with the pink of the flowers._

_"Yeah, Mom?" questioned Katara, giving her mother a curious look._

_Pleasantly smiling, Kya fondly said, "Happy birthday, sweetheart." Katara tearfully smiled as the blossoms enveloped her mother completely, and when they drifted away in an elegant swarm, her mother was gone. A familiar, grieving, blistering pain gripped at Katara's already-shattered heart, forcing her eyes shut as she felt the very fabric of reality shifting around her…_

_Even as she was brought back to the human world, Katara could hear her mother's ghostly voice echoing in her ears: "I love you, Katara. I always will…"_

Katara kept her eyes closed as she felt her spirit return to her body, already feeling more tears make their way down her physical cheeks. She had finally been reunited her mother, but there was a sense of emptiness to the joy, a desolate void to the overwhelming happiness. The darkness she found herself in when she had her eyes closed was as uncompromising and ruthless as the death that had taken her mother, leaving only melancholy mourning behind in her mother's place. She never wanted to open her eyes again, knowing that the world was still imperfect because her mother wasn't in it, wanting nothing more than to spend the rest of eternity in her mother's company.

And yet…something compelled her to open her eyes.

As she opened her eyes, Katara found herself staring at Aang, who was softly, tenderly smiling at her, his stormy gray eyes gleaming in Yue's heavenly light. Katara felt her heart burst at the sight of Aang, remembering what it was he had just done for her. For all the time she had known him, he had always done things in order to make her happy. While it was true things were uncertain between them for a while, they always cared about one another, always did everything in their power to make sure the other wasn't sad or downtrodden, burdened by the worries and doubts of their hearts. Whenever he did something for her, it was always from the deepest part of his heart, a heart full of purity, sincerity, and empathy.

Even in an imperfect world where her mother was long gone, Aang was the one thing that made everything seem brighter, pushing away the darkness that the trials and tribulations of life had thrust on her heart.

Without a word, Katara threw her arms around Aang's neck, burying her face into the crook of his neck as he hugged her by the waist, drawing her closer to his body. She trembled and shook against him, wanting to cry until the morning sun peeked over the tops of the cliffs, but the warmth and strength of Aang's arms, the peaceful beating of his heart against hers, calmed her to the point where she felt safe again, felt loved like never before. Aang spoke not one word and simply smiled as he held her in his arms, letting only his actions speak magnificent volumes in Katara's soul.

And all the while, Yue watched them with a smile from the starry sky above, knowing for certain that they would always have each other.

* * *

><p>AUTHOR'S NOTE:<p>

Remember my advice, my loyal readers:

_**BUY THE BOOK, AND SUPPORT THE WORK OF THE PEOPLE WHO STRIVE SO HARD TO BRING THIS INCREDIBLE STORY TO US**_


	23. Practice Makes Perfect

OK, first off, I am so so so so so so so _so **so**_sorry about keeping you all waiting for 2 whole months! School got crazy and then writer's block hit me as well and my inspiration took a vacation to Fiji and I was like "UGH WHY IS THIS HAPPENING TO ME" and so on. DX

*Sighs* Now that that's over with, I'm baaaaack! :D I'll try to update this story as regularly as I can, but I've also got to juggle my "Legend of Korra" stories along with this as well, and then I'm starting a summer Calc class in a few weeks, but I promise that I will work on this story however often I can.

Speical thanks goes out to **Airbender Beauty** for giving me some ideas to work with in this story. Some of her ideas worked their way into this chapter and into some of the later chapters, just so y'all know. ;D

Anyways, enough of my rambling. On with the story you've been dying so long for! Enjoy and review, my faithful fans!

**DISCLAIMER:** I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender. The show and its characters belong to Mike and Bryan, the brillant geniuses behind one of the greatest cartoon shows in the history of cartoons. Their work is legendary, and I salute them for it. I also do not own "The Promise" story, which is written by Gene Yang, and is also the property of Mike and Bryan. I am simply help to spread the news of the upcoming story and do not take any responsibilty for the development of the story itself; I am only going off of what is known thus far.

**Practice Makes Perfect**

In…and out…

In…and out…

In…and out…

Like the swelling of the waves that slapped against the side of _The Harmony_, life-giving air circulated through Aang's lungs like an undulating tide, the young Avatar calm and collected as he meditated up near the bow of the ship, letting the early morning rays strike against his lithe body. His eyes were closed, his heart temporarily detached from the worries of the world as he allowed himself to simply exist, to become one with everything around him.

The rising sun stoked his inner flame, igniting it to a blazing fervor as he felt the essence of the waves around him, vast and mysterious in their azure magnificence. Clouds lazily drifted through the cyan sky, each puffy apparition the size of Appa. The ship hummed and thrummed underneath him, chugging through the endless sea as the ship and her crew made their way back to the Fire Nation, having successfully disbanded the Jukaito colony two days before.

He was so detached from everything around him that the only thing that snapped him back to reality was a pair of young, slender arms that wrapped around his waist and a warm, tender kiss to the back of his head, followed by a light, loving whisper of "Good morning, Aang," that sounded ever so pleasantly in his ear.

Eyes still closed, a smile erupted on Aang's face, keeping his meditative posture as he softly said, "Good morning, Katara." Feeling her quietly chuckle and press a kiss to the back of his neck, he asked, "Why are you up so early?"

"Well," began Katara as she rested her forehead against the back of his head, "when you have a guy who's part-Firebender for a boyfriend, you kind of start rising with the sun along with him." She pleasantly smiled as Aang gave a merry chuckle, his joy reverberating from his body into hers, filling her heart with glee and happiness.

"So I guess I'm a pretty big influence on you, huh?" guessed Aang as he felt a warm sea breeze caress both him and Katara, bringing a sense of warmness to his body that felt like Katara whenever they would snuggle in their sleep. Needless to say, he smiled at the feeling of both the wind and the love of her heart that he embraced so readily, without question.

"Hmm…" pondered Katara in a joking manner, her lips slightly pouted in playful contemplation. "I suppose you could say that," she teasingly said, lightly pecking the back of Aang's head again. "I'll see you later, Aang," she said as she let go of him, standing up while still looking down at him. "I have to go wake up my lug of a brother; the two of us are going to check up on the ship's supplies."

Just as Katara took a few steps away from him, Aang quickly opened his eyes and turned his head back towards her, calling out to her: "Wait a minute, Katara." Seeing his girlfriend stop and look back at him in confusion, he Airbent himself to his feet and turned towards her as he said, "I was going to ask you something."

"What?" inquired Katara, turning back towards Aang and lifting an eyebrow in curiosity.

"Would you be willing to do some training with me today?" asked Aang. "I was thinking that maybe you could teach me how to heal and maybe help me practice going into and controlling the Avatar State."

Katara stared at Aang for a few quiet moments, as if she was trying to discern Aang's sudden interest in training during a colonial run. "What's with you suddenly wanting to learn how to heal and wanting to practice the Avatar State?" she asked as she put her hands on her hips,

Aang awkwardly shifted in his place, anxiously rubbing the back of his head as he asked, "Do you remember what happened all those months ago during that storm when we were heading back to the Fire Nation from the Shou colony? Y'know, when I…" He trailed off, letting the implied meaning slip over to Katara's ears, her eyes widening slightly in realization when she discovered what he meant.

"Oh," she simply said, dropping her hands back down to her side, clarity melting away her perplexed expression. "You want me to teach you how to heal because of what happened back then?"

"Yeah," replied Aang, still rubbing the back of his head. "I figured that if there's ever a time that you're hurt, I could return the favor by healing you."

Katara considered Aang's statement, shrugging as she admittedly said, "I guess that makes sense." Gesturing to him, she added, "You _are_ the Avatar, after all. Learning more bending skills is just a part of who you are."

"So you'd be willing to teach me how to heal, then?" asked Aang, dropping his hand back down to his side.

"Of course," nodded Katara with an amiable smile. "I'd do anything for you, Aang," she sincerely added. "You know that.

"I know," agreed Aang with a genial smile, "but I wanted to be polite and ask you first."

"Well, aren't you ever the considerate gentleman?" teasingly asked Katara, her eyes playfully sparkling as she blushed at Aang's sweetness.

"I'd like to think that I'm always a gentleman," replied Aang as he walked up to Katara. With a sly wink as he took hold of her hands, he added, "Especially towards you."

Katara chuckled as she shook her head, amusedly saying, "If you keep this up, Aang, you're going to spoil me rotten."

"And you consider that a bad thing?" he wittily retorted.

"Not at all," replied Katara with a small smile. Squeezing Aang's hands, she said, "Come on. Let's get started on your healing training."

"Right," firmly nodded Aang, letting go of Katara's hands and allowing her to uncap her water skin.

Katara coated her hands with the liquid from the water skin, kneeling down on the deck of the ship as she said in her best teacher-like tone, "Take a sti, Pupil Aang, and let us begin your training."

Adopting the same studious demeanor he sported back during their old Waterbending training sessions, Aang obediently kneeled on the deck as he respectfully said "Yes, Sifu Katara. What must I do to master the sacred art of healing?"

"In order to learn," sagely stated Katara in a wizened manner, "one must simply listen." A slight snicker crept its way out of her mouth, a contained chuckle also resonating from Aang. The two of them tried to contain their laughter, but the pressure became too much, and soon both of them were boisterously chortling, the sounds of their merriment carrying across the deck of the ship.

Coming out of their merry fit, Aang wiped away gleeful tears from his eyes as he lightheartedly said, "You were saying, Sifu?"

Uttering a quick giggle before she composed herself, smile still intact, Katara said, "Healing is a special skill among Waterbenders, but it's also a skill anyone can achieve through hard work and constant practice." Flashing Aang a knowing smile, she added, "However, since you're such a natural at Waterbending, I'm sure you'll get it on your first try."

"Maybe," agreed Aang with a grinning smirk. Bowing his head slightly, he humbly added, "Of course, I wouldn't be learning this skill if it wasn't for you, the greatest Waterbending Master in the world."

Katara appreciatively smiled as Aang came out of his small bow, her heart aching with love and affection for the boy that smiled so softly, so tenderly at her, as if she were the most precious treasure the world had ever seen. Composing herself once more as she sucked in a fortifying breath, she said, "Now, the first thing you need to learn about healing is that it follows the flow of chi throughout the body." Pointing to the tattooed arrow on Aang's hand, she said, "Your tattoos show the flow of chi throughout your body, correct?"

"That's right," affirmatively answered Aang as Katara dropped her hand back down to her lap.

"Healing works with those chi pathways," continued Katara. Moving her hand over Aang's arm, she added, "With healing, you can trace your way through a person's chi pathways until you find the area that's either wounded or has imbalanced energy in it. When you find that area, you let your own chi flow through the water and into the other person's body." To prove her point, she let an influx of chi infuse itself with her water, making it hum and glow as she worked her way up his arm. "Can you feel my energy traveling up your chi pathways?"

"Yeah," nodded Aang, watching Katara as she moved along his tattooed arm, which tingled as her energy made its way up his chi pathways. "It…it feels really good." He shyly averted his gaze away from her as he timidly blushed, her expression curious as she looked up at him. There was still something profoundly intimate about part of Katara's energy melding with his own. It was nearly impossible for his heart not to race or his face to flush when it seemed like her spirit was becoming one with his.

"Are you okay?" she concernedly asked him, stopping the flow of chi to her water-covered hands, killing the glow as she forced the liquid back into her water skin. Placing a gentle hand on Aang's cheek, turning his face towards her, she softly asked, "I didn't do something wrong, did I?"

"No no, you didn't do anything wrong," Aang quickly responded, wanting to ease Katara's mind. "It's just…whenever you use your healing on me, I can't help but feel so much closer to you, like some small part of us is mixing together…like we're becoming one."

A surprised blush tinted Katara's copper cheeks as her eyes widened slightly in astonishment, only managing to utter a small "Oh…" as she dropped her hand from his cheek.

Aang anxiously gulped, hanging down his head and letting his gaze fall to the metal deck below them. "I don't know how else to say it. That's just what I feel when you use your healing on me." He felt Katara's free hand tenderly cup his chin, raising his head to look up at her loving face, a heartwarming smile plastered on her face.

"Here," she quietly said, taking her hand from his chin and moving her hands to her water skin, uncapping it and drawing the liquid within.

"What are you doing?" cautiously asked Aang as Katara covered her hands with the water, wary of her intentions. Without another word, Katara grasped his hands, transferring the liquid globs onto his hands.

"I want you to use your healing on me," stated Katara, letting go of Aang's hands and leaving him to quickly adhere the water to his hands so that it didn't fall to the deck.

Feeling panic settle into his heart, Aang began to nervously stammer, "I-I don't know if I can do this, Katara. I've never used healing before! What if I mess up or something?"

"Aang," softly said Katara, bringing a sense of calm to the frantic Avatar, "I know you can do this. I've always believed in you, and I trust you with all my heart." Turning around so that her back was to him, she added, "Besides, my back is kind of sore this morning. I need some tender love and care to get rid of this ache." Glancing back at Aang and throwing a wink over her shoulder, she teasingly said, "And you're just the guy to do it."

Aang instantly hesitated, still very much unsure of himself. "You're sure about this, Katara?"

"I'm sure, Aang," she assured him, looking straight forward again. "Just let your instincts take over. You'll do just fine."

"If you say so…" murmured Aang, moving his water-covered hands over Katara's back, furrowing his brow in concentration as he let his chi flow into the water coating his hands. As the water became infused with Aang's chi, the liquid began to hum and glow, tendrils of energy reaching through Katara's skin and delving into her own chi pathways.

The moment his energy entered her skin, Katara let out a pleasant, utterly satisfied sigh that reddened Aang's face even more. "Don't stop," she muttered in an almost pleading tone, absolutely breathless under his reverent, tender touch. "You're doing fantastic." Aang nervously bit his lip, sweat beading his forehead as he soothed the aching muscles in Katara's back, slowly moving his hands up and down her back as he worked.

Suddenly, Katara felt something stir within her, as if part of Aang's energy had fused with her spirit, becoming an irreplaceable part of her. She let out a shivering gasp, her body tensing and her hands clenching as her cheeks burst into a crimson flush. His energy seemed to both galvanize and soothe her heart, setting it on fire with his endless love for her and cooling it with the chilling sweetness of his innocence. She had never felt so something so real, so tantalizingly intimate, so thrillingly _amazing _in her life before, all of it an unknown experience that she simply couldn't get enough of.

"I'm not hurting you, am I?" worriedly asked Aang, his heart beginning to race when he heard Katara's shivering gasp. "If I'm hurting you, I'll stop."

"No!" quickly squeaked Katara, her spine stiffening as she glanced back at Aang, practically panting as she tried to calm herself, making Aang jump slightly out of surprise when she whirled on him. "You're not hurting me at all!"

"Then why do you look so exhausted?" he questioned her, concerned for her wellbeing.

Katara dryly gulped, shakily saying, "It's just…it feels so good." Sheepishly glancing away from him as her cheeks heatedly flared again, she admittedly said, "I've never felt anything so incredible before." Letting a tiny smile grace her lips as she looked back at him, she added, "You were right. This just makes me feel so much closer to you." Turning around so that she was facing him, she took hold his hands and interlaced her fingers with his, his hands still covered with glowing water as she rested her forehead against his. His energy continued to pour from his hands into hers, connecting his spirit to hers, letting their energies become one.

"So…" slowly said Aang, smiling as he deeply gazed into Katara's sparkling cerulean eyes, "did I pass my healing test, Sifu Katara?"

"With flying colors, Pupil Aang," proudly whispered Katara in an affectionate tone, moving her lips within mere inches of his, her eyes fluttering closed as he too slowly closed his eyes, their lips just about to meld together…

"_Katara_!"

The shrill cry of a certain meat-loving, Boomerang-wielding Water Tribesman came roaring out of the mid-deck staircase that led to the lower levels, causing Aang and Katara's eyes to snap wide open and halt their almost-kiss. The water coating Aang's hands instantly lost their cohesiveness and healing glow, falling off of Aang's hands and onto the deck as Aang and Katara looked back to see Sokka walking towards them, a less-than-amused scowl imbued on his grumpy face.

"There you are!" Sokka exclaimed as he continued to storm towards them. "I figured you were out here." Stopping when he was next to the young couple, he saw that their hands were intertwined in a sickeningly sweet manner that he immediately rolled his eyes at. "Playing kissy-face with your boyfriend again, sis?" he impatiently asked her as he crossed his arms in front of his chest, uttering an annoyed huff at her.

"I was just teaching him how to heal, Sokka," dryly replied Katara, slightly scowling at her brother out of irritation.

"What, did he burns his lips or something, and you were going to heal his lips with a glowing kiss or something?" sarcastically asked Sokka, leaning down closer to Katara's face so that he could leer into her eyes. "From what I saw, you two were about to kiss."

"So what?" indifferently dismissed Katara. "He's my boyfriend, remember? I'm allowed to kiss him whenever I want."

Sokka rolled his eyes as he stood back up straight. "Yeah, I know that, but right now, you're supposed to be helping me check up on the ship's supplies."

"I can't right now," retorted Katara, letting go of Aang's hands and dropping her hands onto her lap. "I'm helping Aang practice healing and going into the Avatar State."

Looking over at Aang, Sokka asked, "But I thought you had full control of the Avatar State by now? Why would you still need to practice it?"

"I may have full control of the Avatar State now," stated Aang, "but I'm still a long way from mastering it. There's still a chance I could go into the Avatar State if I lose control of my emotions."

"Oh," said Sokka in a tone of realization, "you mean like that one time in the Si Wong Desert when you got really mad at those Sandbenders who took Appa?"

"Exactly," nodded Aang. "I need to practice so I can learn to control my emotions if I ever need to use the Avatar State again."

Sokka's shoulders slumped as he heavily sighed. "Fair enough," he relented. "I'll just check up on the supplies myself." Sokka dropped his arms back to his side as he began to walk away from the couple, only to stop a few steps later when he realized he had forgotten something. "Hey Aang?" he asked as he turned around to face the Avatar. "I got a question for you."

"What is it?" inquired Aang, wondering what Sokka had on his mind.

"Do you think you could do some training with me when we get back to the Fire Nation?" asked Sokka. "I want to get better at fighting against the other elements seeing as how I'm a nonbender, and I really want to sharpen my skills." Gesturing to Aang, he added, "Seeing as how you're the Avatar, I figured you could help me out."

"Sure, I can do that," agreed Aang, giving his brother-in-arms a reassuring smile.

"Awesome," amiably grinned Sokka, satisfied with Aang's answer. Turning back around and dashing towards the mid-ship stairs, he shouted over his shoulder, "You're the best, buddy!"

"Anytime, Sokka," Aang called after his friend before he disappeared below deck, leaving him and Katara all alone on the main deck once more.

"That was really nice of you to do for my brother, Aang," sweetly commented Katara with a warm smile, drawing Aang's gaze back towards her.

"Katara, I would do anything for you and your brother," sincerely said Aang, his smile honest and truthful. "You know that." Katara's only response was a small smile that accompanied his signature smile, finding themselves lost in the depths of each other's eyes for what seemed to be an eternity. After a little while, Aang cleared his throat. "Anyways," he said as he stood up, brushing himself off as Katara stood up as well, "let's get started."

Katara took a few steps back, allowing Aang his space as he closed his eyes, taking a deep breath as he brought his clenched fists together, the arrows on his hands pointing towards each other. Aang took in a deep breath through his nostrils, calming himself as he searched deep within himself for the power that hid deep inside of him, awaiting his command to unlock and unleash its energy throughout his young body.

Suddenly, he found that ancient power nestled within the very core of his being, and he immediately unlocked it with his resolute will. All at once, indescribable, cosmic energy flooded his entire body, his chi pathways filled with a searing power that yearned for release into the world around it. Aang snapped his eyes open, white light bursting to life in his eyes as his tattoos began to glow pure white as well.

"You did it!" joyfully cried Katara, clapping her approval of Aang's success. The Avatar cheerfully smiled at her for a brief moment before he twirled himself around, propelling himself upward on a large spiral column of air. Katara covered her face with her arms as the wind buffeted her, uncovering her face and looking up as the rushing wind died down.

Aang was nearly five hundred feet up in the air, flying high above the ship on his mini-tornado. Coming to a stop in mid-air, he thrust his palms outward, angling his head up towards the sky as massive streams of flames came voraciously roaring out of his mouth and palms. The air cackled and snapped from the immense heat of the enhanced flames, which only seemed to grow ever larger as the Avatar poured more of his limitless power into his Firebending.

Snapping his mouth closed, Aang cut off the flow of explosive chi to his mouth and palms, killing the flames and causing them to dissipate as he angled himself downwards. Summoning more air behind him, he dove down towards the sea surrounding _The Harmony_, leveling out when he was just mere feet from slamming into the waves. The water began to waver and undulate as he flew above the ocean's surface, circling around the ship as he continued to soar with his Airbending.

Katara continued to watch Aang as he moved about the ship, completely awestruck by the incredible power he was displaying. Her eyes glimmered with amazement as she watched Aang move back towards the front of the ship, twirling his arms as he spun his body, causing streams of water to course around his body as he flew.

Aang suddenly shot upward, belching flames from his mouth and coating his entire body in fire as he rose higher and higher on his air spiral, large streams of water obediently following him and orbiting his body as he flew upward. He was like a flaming arrow that flew with all the swiftness of the wind through a torrential waterfall.

Katara watched as Aang released himself of his elements, the flames dying off and the water falling back into the ocean as he let himself fall back to the deck of the ship, softening his landing on the middle of the deck with a small cushion of air as Katara came running towards him. The glow of the Avatar State faded as Aang deeply exhaled, smiling as he turned around, only to find himself being tackle-hugged by Katara. "That was incredible, Aang!" she happily exclaimed, tightly gripping Aang as he hugged her back. Coming out of their hug, holding each other by the forearms, she jokingly added, "It's still hard to believe there's that much power behind that goofy smile of yours."

Aang deeply blushed as he glanced away from her, eliciting a loving chuckle from Katara. She drew him into another hug that he readily returned as she whispered in his ear, "You've become so strong, Aang, and I'm so proud of how far you've come since we first met."

"I couldn't have gotten this far without you, Katara," stated Aang, whispering in her ear as well. "But there's still room for improvement. Am I right?"

"Of course you're right," agreed Katara as they came out of their hug. "We're all still growing, and I plan on always being by your side as you keep on growing up."

"I wouldn't have it any other way," smiled Aang as he took hold of her hand, leading her towards the mid-ship stairs. "Let's go help out Sokka for a little while, and then we can get back to training."

"Good idea," nodded Katara as she let Aang lead the way. Nudging his shoulder with her shoulder, she teasingly added, "Maybe we can get some Waterbending training in as well."

"Whatever you say, sweetie," acquiesced Aang as he lightly pecked Katara on the cheek, making her chuckle as her cheeks tinted a flirtatious pink.

The two of them made their down to the lower decks, still walking hand-in-hand, their hearts growing ever closer with each passing moment.


End file.
